VIJAYAWADA: A silent calamity seems to be unfolding in the Krishna Delta, one of India’s major paddy-growing regions, as irrigation water continues to elude vast stretches of tail-end ayacut. Newly transplanted paddy crop in thousands of acres has started withering due to lack of irrigation water.
The acute irrigation water shortage has snowballed into a full-blown agrarian crisis, crippling the rural economy, and pushing thousands of small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers into severe financial distress.
The State government commenced the release of irrigation water into the Krishna Delta canal system for the Kharif crops on July 1. A total volume of 13.75 TMC of water has been released so far.
At present, 5,635 cusecs of water is being supplied through the Krishna canal system, including 2,015 cusecs to Ryves Canal, 700 cusecs each to KEB and Bandar Canals, 708 cusecs to Eluru Canal and 1,516 cusecs to Krishna Western Canal.
Poor crop season to hit AP’s agricultural economy
Nearly 4,700 cusecs of Godavari water is also being drawn through the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme using all 20 pumps to augment water supply in the Krishna Delta. However, the water being supplied through the canal system seems to be highly inadequate to meet the irrigation needs of paddy farmers.
The El Nino impact is clearly visible on the Kharif crop acreage in the Krishna Delta. Spread over nearly 13 lakh acres across Krishna, Guntur and parts of West Godavari districts, the Krishna Delta has been regarded as one of the country’s most productive paddy-growing belts for decades.
A poor crop season in the Krishna Delta will have an adverse impact on the total paddy production, besides affecting the State’s agricultural economy. Farmers warn that if Kharif crop acreage continues to decline on this scale, the consequences will extend far beyond the Krishna Delta.
The crisis has also paralysed the rural economy. Thousands of agricultural labourers who depend on paddy transplantation and weeding for livelihood, have been left without work.
For many families, there are no daily wages, no savings and no alternative source of income. Women labourers, who form a major chunk of the agricultural workforce, are the worst hit.
With no farm work, household incomes have collapsed, pushing many families into severe financial distress.
Farmers themselves are caught in a painful dilemma. Many have already spent around Rs 10,000 per acre on paddy nursery raising, land preparation, fertilisers and labour.
With no guarantee for the supply of irrigation water, the farmers are now being advised to shift to pulses such as black gram and green gram, which require less water.
However, changing crops at this stage is quite difficult. It needs another round of investment on field preparation, fresh farm inputs and other cultivation expenses costing nearly Rs 10,000 per acre again.
For majority of farmers, who are already burdened by debt, arranging fresh capital has become nearly impossible.
“We have spent more than 10,000 per acre so far.
Our crop is dying due to lack of irrigation water. In the meantime, we are being advised to cultivate pulses. But it needs investment. Now, we don’t have money to buy farm inputs afresh,’’ said K Nageswara Rao, a farmer of Sathuluru in Bantumilli mandal of Krishna district.
