HYDERABAD: After raising hopes of farmers in the district initially, rains seem to have deceived them once again. It has been more than a fortnight or above since Telangana has witnessed rains.
In the initial days of monsoon, there had been good rains, raising hopes for a bumper crop after two successive drought years. Farmers had sowed various crops - paddy, cotton and others - and are now left to the mercy of rains.
Express takes a look at the pitiable condition of the farmers in the state.
Rains elude Khammam since a month, tanks run dry
Khammam farmers are worried as the district hasn’t received rains for the past month. According to agriculture department, farmers in the district have sown crops in 2,55,686 lakh hectares against the 3,40,046 lakh hectares of area this kharif season.
Official records state that there was excessive rainfall in June. Figures started dwindling in July. While normal rainfall was 309.0 mm, the actual figures were at 185.8 mm in the 22 days of July. Tanks and small streams which were brimming with rain water in June are now dry and farmers used the water for irrigation. Agriculture department joint director M Vijaya Nirmala said that the officials have prepared an early rabi season action plan.
Most Nizamabad mandals register deficit in rain
The district received good rains in the beginning of the monsoon and farmers started cultivation with great hopes.
Of the 36 mandals of Nizamabad, only few received normal rainfall. Towards the end of August, officials decided to prepare fresh report by assessing the situation. According to Agricultural department, 3.77 lakh hectares was expected to be cultivated in the present Kharif season. However, paddy cultivation was not possible even in 80,000 hectares. No rainfall has been recorded in the district in the last three weeks.Groundwater level did not improve and farmers are preparing for another drought spell.
Agricultural department has prepared a contingency plan for early rabi season to encourage ID crops.
Over 2 lakh hectares stand cropless in Karimnagar
In Karimnagar, nearly 2.50 lakh hectares of land is left without cultivation.
Every Kharif season, the crop area normally used is around six lakh hectares but this time around 5.20 lakh hectares of land is under cultivation. Of this, crops have been cultivated on 3.65 hectares only while the land has been left idle.
Farmers hesitant in sowing paddy in Nalgonda
Authorities expected 1.70 lakh hectares to be cultivated, the crops were sown on 1.2 lakh hectares and the remaining land was left idle.
While Agriculture officials were expecting over 10 per cent increase in paddy cultivation, their hopes seems to have gone waste. Even as government urged farmers not to cultivate cotton, they had done so in 6.3 lakh acres across the district.
Another dry spell for Mahbubnagar?
Several mandals of Mahbubnagar have registered deficit rainfall, bringing farmers on the verge a crisis once again.
Official figures show a grim picture of rains. In all, 26 mandals received normal rainfall and nine received more than normal rainfall. The remaining 27 mandals received deficit rainfall. None of the tanks have water for iirigation. In some mandals, the standing crops are dying. Mandals like Jadcherla, Shadnagar, Nagarkurnool, Achampeta, Alampur and Wanaparthy are facing problems are also badly hit.
After initial rains, clouds cleared off over Khammam
There has been around 22.3 per cent deficit rainfall in Khammam. Khariff works slated for June were postponed due to insufficient rains.