All is not well for Sangareddy farmers even after normal rains in monsoon period

Sangareddy district recorded an 8 per cent rainfall deficit during the first three months of monsoon, while the cultivated area fell by 57,000 acres. Paddy and cotton acreage declined amid delayed rains, low Singur inflows and inadequate water in minor irrigation tanks

Sangareddy: Even though Sangareddy district received normal rainfall during the first three months of the monsoon, everything was not going well for the farming fraternity. The district received 470 mm of rainfall during the first three months of the monsoon, against the normal rainfall of 502 mm, recording an 8 per cent deficit. However, the area under cultivation came down by 57,000 acres as many farmers could not take up paddy and cotton cultivation in time.

Farmers took up cultivation on 7.04 lakh acres against the normal cultivated area of 7.62 lakh acres during Vanakalam. The area under paddy cultivation came down to 1.22 lakh acres, against the normal area of 1.59 lakh acres, while the area under cotton cultivation declined to 3.57 lakh acres, against the normal area of 3.82 lakh acres. Adding to the woes, many crops were suffering from stunted growth due to a lack of rain when it was actually needed.

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Officials attributed the decline in the area under paddy cultivation to the lack of inflow into the Singur reservoir. The project received negligible inflow during the season. As the irrigation authorities had emptied the project while taking up repair works last year, Singur had just over 4 TMCft of water against its full capacity of 29.91 TMCft. Cotton cultivation came down as the district did not receive timely rains, which hampered sowing operations.

Meanwhile, the area under pulses, maize and other crops recorded a slight increase. Even though the district received more than normal rainfall in June and July, it served no purpose as a majority of minor irrigation tanks remained empty until now. Only 61 minor irrigation tanks became surplus this year, against the total of 1,773 tanks, while more than 1,100 lakes had impounded less than 50 per cent of their capacity.

The statistics on rainfall, area under cultivation and inflows into water bodies present the prevailing situation in the district. A farmer, Narayana from Athmakur in Sadivapet mandal, said that they would not be able to save their crops unless they received rain within a week’s time.