ELURU: Prevailing dry spell conditions have badly affected agricultural activity in several mandals of Eluru district this Kharif season.
The drought impact indicators for the period from June 1 to August 31 have raised concern over the agricultural situation in the district. As per the indicators, crop-sown area below 75 per cent of the normal area is classified as severe, 75 to 84.9 per cent as moderate and 85 per cent and above as normal.
Eluru Rural recorded the lowest crop-sown area at just 25.9 per cent of the normal area, followed by Eluru Urban at 38 per cent, Pedapadu at 47.8 per cent, Agiripalli at 65.5 per cent and Chatrai at 70.1 per cent. All five mandals were classified as severe under the agriculture indicator.
Polavaram and Lingapalem recorded 74.2 per cent and 74.5 per cent respectively, placing them close to the severe category, while Kukunoor recorded 76.6 per cent.
Jangareddygudem and Jeelugu Milli recorded 81.9 per cent and 82.4 per cent, respectively and fell under the moderate category.
Joint Director Habib Basha said the Agriculture Department was assessing the situation and taking necessary measures in the affected areas. The drought indicator data covers all 27 mandals of Eluru district for the Kharif 2026 season. He said the impact is visible on the ground, particularly in the upland areas.
Farmers from Valavaram, Banjavuru, Kothapattiseema and Pragadavalli villages said inadequate rainfall had affected paddy, black gram and other crops. Nearly 1,200 acres were reportedly affected by the prolonged dry spell.
Farmers said crops in several fields started withering as moisture declined in the absence of timely rains.
The situation has caused concern among cultivators who had already spent considerable amounts on land preparation, seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs.
The farmers said the impact was more severe in upland areas, where cultivation depends largely on rainfall.
With no adequate rainfall during critical stages of crop growth, standing crops are facing moisture stress, raising the possibility of further losses if the dry spell continues.
Farmers urged the Agriculture and Revenue departments to conduct field-level assessments of the affected crops and quantify the losses.
They sought immediate measures to provide irrigation water wherever possible and requested input assistance or compensation for farmers whose crops had suffered damage.