Crop plan finalized for Rabi season in Karimnagar

Though the officials have estimated the cotton to be sowed in 20 acres, the crop is likely to be cultivated in 500 acres.

Karimnagar: The crop plan for the Yasangi (Rabi) season has been finalized by the Agriculture department officials. It has been estimated that different crops would be cultivated in 3.04 lakh acres this season in the district.

As usual, paddy is likely to be sowed in the major extent of the area of 2.65 lakh acres. Irrigated Dry (ID) crops are going to be cultivated in 1,205 acres. They are groundnut (500 acres), sunflower (380 acres), green gram (80 acres), sesame (60 acres), Bengal gram (50 acres), maize (50 acres), red gram (10 acres) and black gram (5 acres).

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Though the officials have estimated the cotton to be sowed in 20 acres, the crop is likely to be cultivated in 500 acres. Other crops are going to be sown in 1,200 acres.

On the other hand, farmers have begun preparation works for the season besides selling the crops produced in Vanakalam season. This time around, paddy is going to be cultivated in a big way with irrigation from borewells and agricultural wells. The crop is also likely to be sowed under the ayacut of different canals since water is available in irrigation projects.

Cultivation of paddy has been enhanced in a big way in the erstwhile Karimnagar district after construction of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project. The Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP) rejuvenation project was also taken up to take Kaleshwaram water to the Flood Flow Canal. However, farmers faced severe hardships due to lack of water in the last Rabi season since water was not lifted from the Kaleshwaram project following the sinking of the pillars of Medigadda barrage. Some of the ryots in Choppadandi constituency dug pits in the flood flow canal to draw groundwater and to supply to standing crops.

The State government had then lifted water from the Yellampalli project by operating the Nandi Medaram pump house and supplied water to standing crops. The Mid Manair and Lower Manair Dams were filled with Godavari water by operating the Lakshmi pump house.