Kharif operations hit by deficit rainfall in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The rains caused due to low-pressure in Bay of Bengal has provided only a little relief for kharif crops in Srikakulam district in the current season. All along the day on Saturday, moderate rainfall reported across the district except Itchapuram, Kaviti and Kanchili mandals. No rainfall recorded across the district on Sunday.

Rainfall not reported considerably in catchment areas of Vamsadhara, Nagavali, MahendraTanaya and Bahuda rivers in Odisha state and as well as in Srikakulam. All these four rivers are generating from Odisha and passing through Koraput, Rayagadha districts of Odisha state. In all the four rivers, inflows not recorded due to low-pressure for the last two days.

Excess rainfall reported only in Santhabommali mandal in the district. Normal rainfall reported in 13 mandals, deficit rainfall reported in 22 mandals and scanty rainfall reported in 2 mandals.

The normal extent of kharif crops in the district is 2.55 lakh hectares and due to deficit rainfall kharif works initiated in only one lakh hectares and of it, seeds sown in an extent of 15,000 hectares were damaged. Farmers sowed seeds again in these fields.

Kharif paddy and other crops works initiated in Tekkali, Santhabommali, Narasannapeta, Amudalavalasa, L.N.peta, Kotabommali, Hiramandal, Kotturu, Ponduru, Sarubujjili and other mandals. Due to deficit rainfall kharif works not started in Palasa, Nandigama, Kaviti, Kanchili, Itchapuram and other mandals in the district.