HYDERABAD: Going by the early sowing trends in the Rabi 2022-23 crop season, it can be inferred that the total oilseeds production could considerably come down as compared to the corresponding period of 2021-22. Among the oilseeds taking a hit is groundnut. The sown area of groundnut this season has come down to 1,07,870 acres as against 2,70,435 acres last year.
Last Kharif, to bring down the paddy cultivation in the State, the agriculture department had encouraged paddy farmers, especially in Nagarkunool and Wanaparthy districts, to take up groundnut cultivation. The two districts are most favourable for groundnut cultivation. However, farmers couldn’t achieve the desired yield or price for their groundnut last year due to various factors including weather conditions and fungal infestation.Even in the present Rabi season, presence of leaf folder, sucking pests and collar rot in groundnut crop has been observed by the agriculture department.
As the government is not interfering with their choice of growing paddy, the farmers in this region seem to be preferring paddy to groundnut, in view of water availability.In Nagarkurnool district alone, while groundnut was sown in 1,35,851 acres by this time last year, in the current Rabi season groundnut is being cultivated in 49,409 acres. Even in Wanaparthy district where groundnut was sown in 32,798 acres by this time last year, this season it is being cultivated in 15,040 acres. In Narayanpet district groundnut cultivation has gone down from 12,775 acres last year, to 4,420 acres this season. In Mahbubnagar district it has gone down from 22,419 acres last year, to 7,598 acres.
In almost all districts where groundnut was cultivated last Rabi season, its area under cultivation presently has gone down considerably, except in Vikarabad where the crop is being cultivated in 17,447 acres this season, as against 18,416 acres last year. The total extent of oilseeds under cultivation is 1,15,792 acres in the current Rabi season, which was 2,88,053 acres by this time during the last Rabi season. The season’s normal area for oilseeds is 3,91,928 acres.