Farmers begin operations for Vanakalam in erstwhile Adilabad

Farmers started preparing the fields for sowing seeds of various crops mainly staple paddy, cotton, soya bean, red gram, green gran, maize, etc.

Adilabad: Farmers began preparations for the Vanakalam agriculture season with the southwest monsoon entering Telangana on Sunday.

Farmers started preparing the fields for sowing seeds of various crops mainly staple paddy, cotton, soya bean, red gram, green gran, maize, etc., They are tilling farms using tractors and ploughs driven by bullocks. They are removing waste plants grown in the fields and are burning paddy stubble. They have already bought seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs required for raising the crops.

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Officials said that area of cultivation was assessed around 20 lakh acres in erstwhile Adilabad district. For instance, the expected area of cultivation of various crops in Mancherial district is 3.35 lakh acres in this Vanakalam season as against 3.42 lakh acres in 2023. While cotton crop is going to be raised in 1.62 lakh acres, paddy crop would be cultivated in 1.61 lakh acres.

Similarly, the expected area of cultivation of Nirmal district is 4.33 lakh acres. Cotton crop topped with 1.68 lakh acres, while paddy was going to be grown in 1.35 lakh acres. Soya bean crop will be raised in 1.01 lakh acres. Maize and red gram crops account for 18,000 and 10,000 acres, respectively. Other crops are projected to be raised in 1,000 acres.

Meanwhile, Kumram Bheem Asifabad district’s expected area of cultivation is 4.50 lakh acres. Cotton is the major crop of the district. It is going to be raised in 3.40 lakh acres, followed by paddy which accounts for 59,212 acres. Red and soya bean crops will be grown in 38,239 acres and 6,089 acres. Chilly crop is going to be cultivated in 1,700 acres.

Officials of the agriculture department said that adequate seeds, urea, DAP and some complex fertilizers were already kept available for the farmers. For instance, 13,000 metric tonnes of urea, 2,600 mts of DAP and 7000 mts of complex fertilizers were dispatched to mandal centres.

Expected area of cultivation (acres)

Mancherial

Paddy: 1,61,958

Cotton: 1,62,094

Red gram: 1,787

Maize: 413

Jowar: 480

Green gram: 2,398

Black gram: 150

Soya bean: 0

Others: 1,680

Total: 3,35,517

Nirmal

Paddy: 1,35,000

Cotton: 1,68,000

Red gram: 10,000

Maize: 18,000

Soya bean: 1,01,000

Others: 1,000

Total: 4,33,000

KB Asifabad

Paddy: 59,212

Cotton: 3,40,000

Red gram: 38,239

Maize: 742

Jowar: 680

Green gram: 1700

Black gram: 163

Chilli: 3173

Soya bean: 6089

Ground nut: 178

Others: 20

Total: 4,50,196