Despite deficit rainfall, paddy farmers expect bumper crop in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Eight districts in the State mostly located in South coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have registered deficit rainfall this rainy season.

Only five districts Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Chittoor and Anantapur have recorded more than normal rainfall. The remaining districts recorded deficit rainfall. Paddy cultivating districts of Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, East and West Godavari and Kurnool districts have recorded deficit rainfall.

Luckily, heavy rains and floods in the uplands of Karnataka and Maharashtra helped in steady inflow of water into rivers Godavari and Krishna thus enabling the farmers of these districts grow crops during this kharif season.

It is expected the farmers would get bumper harvest due to supply of adequate irrigation water during this kharif. Krishna and Godavari delta region is well known for cultivation of paddy. Krishna district registered deficit rainfall this season.

Normal rainfall is 890 mm and it recorded only 769 mm with deficit of 13.60 per cent. Similarly, Guntur district recorded deficit rainfall. Normal rainfall of Guntur district is 701.50 mm and it recorded only 661 mm rainfall with deficit of 5.70 per cent.

Godavari delta region is known as rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. West Godavari recorded 889 mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 995.70 mm. The district registered 10.60 per cent deficit rainfall. Similarly, East Godavari district registered only 976 mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 1030.50 mm with deficit of 5.30 percent.

Kurnool district well known for cultivation of fine quality rice Sona Masuri has also recorded 679 mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 583 mm. Due to heavy inflows from upland areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka the State received abundant floodwater which has been stored at Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Prakasam Barrage in Krishna basin and released to the crops in four districts this season.

In Krishna delta alone more than 90 tmcft water has been released for cultivation of crops in 13 lakh acres in four districts of Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and Prakasam. Similarly, two Godavari districts are getting plentiful of waters this season for cultivation of paddy and other crops thanks to the floods to Godavari river.

Several hundred tmcft water has also been released into sea. It is estimated that more than 1200 tmcft water has been released into sea from the two rivers in the State since August, 2019.

By and large, the State recorded deficit rainfall of 5.10 per cent this season. Average normal rainfall of 13 districts is 778.70 mm. But, the State recorded 738.90 mm rainfall so far, said a senior officer of the Groundwater Department.

In spite of deficit rainfall, paddy farmers may get bumper harvest of 34 bags per acre this season, predicted P Mohana Rao, Joint Director of Agriculture, Krishna district. He said the delta region is getting adequate water and farmers would get bumper crop this kharif season.