VIJAYAWADA: With forecasts indicating an early onset of monsoon and the advance release of irrigation water, farmers across the State have begun hectic preparations for the ensuing Kharif season, with ploughing, land levelling and other pre-sowing operations picking up in major agricultural regions.
During Kharif-2025, crops were sown in 29.16 lakh hectares (72 lakh acres) across the State, and officials expect a similar cultivation extent this season as well.
Anticipating increased agricultural activity, the State government has drawn up an extensive action plan to ensure the timely supply of quality seeds, fertilisers and other essential farm inputs, besides coordinating irrigation and agricultural support services to facilitate smooth cultivation operations.
Paddy remained the principal crop during the previous Kharif season, with cultivation spread over 15.59 lakh hectares, accounting for more than half of the total cropped area in the State, followed by cotton in 4.56 lakh hectares, pulses in 3.63 lakh hectares and oilseeds in 2.63 lakh hectares.
Among pulses, red gram dominated with 3.22 lakh hectares, while groundnut remained the major oilseed crop with 2.08 lakh hectares.
Maize was cultivated in 1.87 lakh hectares, while sugarcane, tobacco, sesamum, castor, sunflower and soybean were also taken up in varying extents across the State during the season. Farmers in delta regions have already started preparing agricultural fields in anticipation of canal water release for transplantation activities.
It may be noted that the government has already decided to release irrigation water in phases from May 15 for the Kharif season, which will be more helpful to farmers. Under the Godavari Delta System, 51.67 TMC of water is currently available.
In the Krishna Delta System, the Pulichintala project presently has a live storage of 24.43 TMC, of which 18.22 TMC is estimated to be required for initial Kharif needs in June.
Canal maintenance works began on May 2, and irrigation water release is planned from June 1 for the Krishna Eastern Delta and from July 1 for the Krishna Western Delta.
Under North Andhra projects, 9.22 TMC of water is currently available and cultivation activities are expected to begin in the second week of June.
Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir presently has 27.07 TMC of water, including Andhra Pradesh’s share of 17.866 TMC, and the government is examining the release of 7,000 cusecs per day from May 15 to meet drinking water and initial irrigation needs.
Officials said advance water release would help farmers take up nursery raising and sowing activities early in several command areas.
They said the government is going to supply 7.46 lakh quintals of quality seeds through the AP State Seed Development Corporation via Rythu Seva Kendrams, and subsidised paddy seed distribution is scheduled to commence from May 15, while groundnut seed supply will begin from May 20.
Veeravarapu Sivayya, a farmer from Chittipalem village in Machilipatnam constituency, said he has already prepared his 4-acre land for paddy cultivation through the broadcasting method.
“I am planning to cultivate the Swarna variety this year. With expectations of early rains and irrigation water availability, farmers have started fieldwork well in advance,” he said.