Farmers told to wait for another week for rains

Anantapur : Rain shave cheated the farmers of united Anantapur district despite the onset of Kharif season. Before the onset of the season, the district experienced heavy rain in May. The weathermen also predicted a robust monsoon this Kharif and just at a time when high hopes were entertained for a promising groundnut crop, there was no trace of rainfall.

Agriculture authorities advised farmers to wait for sowing until July end and they witnessed rains during the time, sowing should be taken up on a war footing. With dry spell continuing, the State authorities would formulate alternate action plan.

During the past 45 days MET office predicted rainfall as an outcome of cyclones and depression in Bay of Bengal, but the district did not witnessed rainfall except in scattered places. A section of farmers, who dared to sow groundnut crop, were worried at the outcome if the dry spell persists here. Farmers were concerned that delayed sowing would boomerang on crop quality. Normally sowing gets completed before July 15 and delayed sowing means bad and damaged crop.

In July there was not a drop of rain, only cloudy climate and heavy winds dotted the district with no traces of rainfall. Since June 14 rains eluded the district.

The district experienced heavy rainfall of 145 mm against the normal rainfall of 61 mm. July recorded a mere 14 mm against a normal rainfall of 60 mm.

In Sri Sathya Sai district, heavy rainfall of 160 mm was recorded in June against the normal rainfall of 60 mm. In July, a rainfall of 30 mm was recorded so far against the normal rainfall of 72 mm.

In Anantapur district, groundnut was taken up in 70,000 hectares when compared to the total sowing area of 3.7 lakh hectares. In Sathya Sai district, out of 1.9 lakh hectares, only 45,000 hectares were covered for groundnut sowing.