Kadapa farmers upbeat over kharif

Kadapa: Rains that have been lashing the district under the influence of south-west monson brought cheers to farmers who are expecting a good yield of their paddy crop in the district.

Every mandal in the district has received sufficient rains in the last one week besides reservoirs like Gandikota, Braham Sagar, Chitravathi Balancing Reservoir, Mylavaram, tanks and streams brimming with water. These timely rains are a boon for the district in which most of the ayacut is rainfed.

Farmers are preparing to cultivate paddy, groundnut, cotton, red gram, green gram, black gram, banana, budda sanaga, jowar and sunflower in 1.06 lakh hectare in the district.

The area under groundnut, which is normally around 37,000 hectare during kharif season, is likely to be sown in another 10,000 hectare. The crop is mainly grown in Rayachoti, Pulivendula, Kamalapuram, Jammalamadugu, Vempalle, Vemula, Chakrayapet and Rajampet mandals in the district.

Joint director of agriculture J Murali Krishna said the district administration was taking all measures to fulfil the needs of farmers regarding water supply for the kharif season.

He said that already 40 per cent of the total requirement of 30,000 quintals groundnut seed was distributed and 30,000 tonne fertilisers were kept ready as against the total requirement of 84,000 tonne for the season. He said this time paddy is being cultivated in 40,000 hectare under Kurnool-Cuddapah (KC) canal.

"Even in dry land areas where the water is not available through canals, the district administration is ready to supply the water through tankers in the interest of farmers. There is no scarcity of either seeds or fertilisers needed for farmers," said Murali Krishna.

A Krishna Reddy, a farmer in Kamalapuram said they have high hopes of good yield this year as there was sufficient water in water bodies. "Coming October and November months are expected to witness goods rains. This is a good sign for us," he said.