El Nino effect: Karimnagar farmers in dilemma over paddy cultivation

Uncertainty over rainfall due to the expected El Nino effect is leaving farmers in Karimnagar district undecided about paddy cultivation this Vanakalam season. Agriculture officials are encouraging a shift to irrigated dry crops to minimise risks and potential losses.

Karimnagar: Paddy cultivation is likely to decline in the Vanakalam season. Farmers are in a dilemma over the cultivation of the crop following weathermen’s prediction that the El Nino effect is likely to affect rainfall during this monsoon season.

There is a possibility of cultivating paddy if adequate rainfall is recorded in June and July. However, lower rainfall is likely to be recorded this rainy season due to the impact of El Nino.

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Therefore, the State government and Agriculture Department officials are advising farmers to shift to ID (Irrigated Dry) crops to avoid losses. However, farmers are in a dilemma and have not yet taken a decision.

The erstwhile Karimnagar district is known for paddy cultivation and the crop is sown in more than nine lakh acres every season.

The cultivated area under the crop has increased after the completion of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. The availability of water in canals, tanks and irrigation projects, along with procurement of the crop by the government at MSP, is encouraging farmers to cultivate paddy. Moreover, it requires less management.

Except for a few, a majority of farmers are cultivating normal variety paddy. Cultivation of fine variety paddy has increased to some extent following the Rs 500 bonus being provided for that variety.

However, the cultivation area is likely to decline due to El Nino. Since paddy requires a huge quantity of water, Agriculture Department officials are advising farmers to go for ID crops such as maize, green gram, black gram, red gram, tomato, leafy vegetables and others.

Moreover, if they want to cultivate only paddy, farmers are also being advised to adopt short-duration paddy varieties. Compared to the normal variety, the fine variety takes more time to yield.

While the normal variety matures within 120 days, the fine variety takes about 140 days. Since it requires more water, cultivation of the fine variety is likely to decline.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a farmer from Gopalpur, Manda Rajamallaiah, said that in the wake of the El Nino effect, farmers were in a dilemma over paddy cultivation.

Ryots, who were busy selling their produce until recently, have not yet started the cultivation process for the upcoming Vanakalam season. Farmers may choose the normal variety of paddy since the fine variety requires more time, he opined.