WARANGAL/KARIMNAGAR: Even the heavy rains in Warangal and Karimnagar districts over the past few days could do nothing much to compensate for the long drought spell which has brought down the groundwater level drastically.
Agricultural activities in these districts are yet to pick up pace as the rainfall could not do much to restore the groundwater level.
However, what seems to be a good news for the farmers of these districts is that the area under cultivation has gone up when compared to last year.
District Agriculture Department reports said that in Warangal around 62 per cent area has been covered under cultivation this Kharif season. As the cultivable area has increased, the sowing area will also witness an increase in the coming days, officials said.
Similarly, in Karimnagar around 52 per cent area has been covered under cultivation.
Meanwhile, playing it safe after the recent drought spells, farmers are preferring irrigated dry (ID) crops like Maize, Green Gram, Red Gram and Black Gram.
Crop land
Paddy 11,800 hectares (transplantation stage) 7,020 hectares (nursery stage) Maize 5,500 hectares Cotton 1,80,00 hectares Black Gram 146 hectares (may increase in coming days)