HYDERABAD: Stating that the government was fully prepared to tackle challenges arising from El Nino conditions during the 2026 Kharif season, Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao on Monday directed officials to be ready to implement the first phase of the state’s three-stage contingency action plan to minimise losses to farmers.
Reviewing preparedness at ICRISAT, the minister met scientists and officials from the India Meteorological Department, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University, Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Indian Institute of Millets Research, Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, and senior officials from the Agriculture and allied departments.
The minister directed district collectors and agriculture officials to ensure that scientific recommendations reach farmers and are implemented effectively. He also asked officials to continuously monitor the field situation and implement the Dynamic District Specific Response (DSR) strategy across the state.
The strategy includes real-time rainfall monitoring, weather-based advisories, soil moisture assessment, crop growth monitoring, climate risk analysis, alternate crop planning, in-situ moisture conservation and crop diversification. He also instructed the IMD, Irrigation, Groundwater, Power, Agriculture and Horticulture departments to jointly issue weekly agro-weather bulletins for every mandal until the end of August.
During the discussions, scientists presented crop-specific advisories, drought-resilient crop varieties and management practices to reduce the impact of delayed monsoon and prolonged dry spells.
They advised farmers to begin sowing only after adequate soil moisture was available and recommended Broad Bed and Furrow or Ridge and Furrow methods to improve water retention. Fertiliser application should be deferred until sufficient moisture is available, while regular intercultural operations should be carried out to conserve soil moisture.
The experts also recommended protective irrigation during critical crop stages, skip-row irrigation, foliar spraying of 2% urea or 1% potassium nitrate during prolonged dry spells, construction of dead furrows to retain rainwater, efficient use of farm ponds and promotion of intercropping.
For farmers yet to begin paddy cultivation, scientists suggested Dry Direct Seeded Rice (DDSR) using short-duration varieties. In canal command areas where water availability remains uncertain, they recommended shifting to crops such as maize, millets, pulses, sunflower, sesame, cowpea and vegetables.
Scientists also issued crop-specific advice for paddy transplantation. They recommended applying 800 grams of Carbofuran 3CG granules per acre a week before uprooting seedlings, trimming seedling tips before transplanting, maintaining 15x10 cm spacing, planting six to eight seedlings per hill, applying 25% additional nitrogen and adopting the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method to conserve water.
For maize and cotton crops currently in the germination stage, the scientists advised timely weed management and soil moisture conservation if dry conditions persist over the next two weeks. Officials from the Irrigation, Groundwater and Power departments also briefed the meeting on reservoir storage, groundwater levels and power availability.