Kharif sowing hit by deficit rainfall in Vizianagaram

Vizianagaram: The deficit rainfall has badly affected the kharif operations in the district. Transplantation of paddy is completed only in 50 per cent of area so far. On the other side, the paddy nurseries are wilted due to deficit rainfall.

If the district receives good rainfall as per schedule, the transplantation would have been completed by this time but due to deficit rainfall in July and August, the process of transplantation in paddy and other crops is not yet completed and the farmers in many mandals are looking towards sky, according to sources.

As of now, the transplantation is completed only in Parvathipuram revenue division and the situation in Vizianagaram is pathetic. Komarada, Kurupam, Seethanagaram, Salur, R B Puram, Makkuva and G L Puram mandals have received good rains and Gajapathinagaram, Bondapalli, Gurla, Nellimarla, Garividi, Chepurupalli are facing drought like situation.

This district received 72.7 centimeters of rainfall against the normal rainfall of 128.4 cm in June and the deficit was 43.4 per cent and in July, the deficit was 16 per cent as it got 149 cm against 178 cm. But in August, the district received good rains only in some areas.

As a result, the paddy transplantation is completed in around 70,000 hectares so far against the normal 1.22 lakh hectares. Sowing of jowar is completed in 23,000 hectares against 56,000 hectares. The situation of other crops like ragi, maize, cotton, red gram is also in the same position.

A farmer K Ramakrishna of Gajapathinagaram said, "I am waiting for rains to transplant my paddy saplings. But it seems that hard days are ahead. Now I want to change my crop pattern and cultivate vegetables, which need less water."