Karimnagar sees sharp rise in paddy acreage this Yasangi, thanks to Kaleshwaram

There is an increase of 9,000 acres in which paddy has been sowed in the district in the present Yasangi season

Karimnagar: Availability of adequate water for irrigation, a 24-hour power supply and timely procurement of the crop by the State government has prompted a majority of farmers in the district to take up paddy cultivation this year, despite encouragement from the government to go for crop diversification and shift to alternative crops.

As a result, there is an increase of 9,000 acres in which paddy has been sowed in the district in the present Yasangi season. This season, paddy was sowed in 2.55 lakh acres, as against the 2.46 lakh acres last year. The increase in acreage is likely to cross 10,000 acres in the coming fortnight since the sowing of the crop is still continuing, officials said.

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The conducive conditions are being cited for this sharp rise in paddy acreage. All irrigation projects have been filled with water throughout the year following the completion of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project, officials said, adding that besides filling tanks, ponds and other water bodies, water was also being supplied to agricultural fields through canals according to the schedule.

Though the stem borer pest attack was a concern, farmers were still not shying away from paddy cultivation, they said, adding that this was also despite the State government, citing the Centre’s refusal to purchase paddy, appealing to farmers to go for alternative crops during the last Yasangi season.

With the State government this time not issuing any such statement and also purchasing each and every grain by establishing paddy procurement centres in every village, farmers are upbeat and are enthusiastically going for paddy cultivation, they said.

Speaking to Telangana Today, District Agriculture Officer Vasireddy Sreedhar said availability of adequate water, the 24 hour power supply and procurement of crop by the State government were encouraging farmers to go for paddy. Details of different crops were being recorded via crop booking.

Stating that 95 percent of the recording process was completed, he said the remaining five percent was being detailed as farmers were re-sowing paddy where the crop was infected by the stem borer pests. This would be completed very soon, he added.