Prolonged dry spell leaves Adilabad paddy farmers in fix over transplantation

A prolonged dry spell in July has left paddy farmers in Adilabad, Nirmal and Mancherial districts in a dilemma over transplantation. With irrigation sources running dry and rainfall deficit widening, cultivators are uncertain about salvaging the Vanakalam season

Adilabad: Farmers across the erstwhile Adilabad district are in a dilemma over transplanting paddy saplings due to the prolonged dry spell in July and the absence of assured irrigation.

Growers had readied their fields and sown seeds by investing heavily, most of it borrowed from local moneylenders, for the Vanakalam season. However, the lack of rainfall throughout July has left them unsure about going ahead with transplantation.

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With irrigation tanks and local projects receiving little to no inflows, many farmers are struggling to keep their fields wet. Some have resorted to irrigating using diesel engines, further increasing input costs. Most are now banking on good rainfall in August. “If this dry spell continues for another month, we’ll suffer huge losses,” several farmers said.

Agriculture officials said paddy cultivation in Mancherial district was taken up in 47,972 acres, while in Nirmal district, it had crossed 1 lakh acres. They advised against transplanting seedlings aged over 40 days, warning that older saplings were prone to diseases and would result in lower yields.

Mancherial, Nirmal and Adilabad districts have all recorded significant rainfall deficits this monsoon. From June 1 to August 4, Nirmal district received an average rainfall of 340 mm against the normal of 494 mm, a deficit of 34 percent. Except for Thandur, Bheemini and Bellampalli, all other mandals in the district recorded below-normal rainfall.

Adilabad district, too, saw an average rainfall of 496 mm as against the normal 578 mm, a shortfall of 14 percent. Sonala mandal recorded the highest deficit at 48 percent, followed by Utnoor, Boath, Neradigonda, Mavala and Gadiguda.

Similarly, Nirmal’s average rainfall stood at 380 mm compared to the normal 613 mm, a deficit of 26 percent. Basar mandal, located on the banks of the Godavari, recorded the highest deficit in the district at 42 percent. Twelve mandals continue to face deficits ranging from 12 percent to 42 percent, raising concerns among cultivators.