This Kharief season appears to be a major set back to the farmers

Kadapa: This Kharief season which will begins from second June appears to be major setback to the farmers due to poor performance of rain coupled with lack of sufficient water in the water bodies in the district. Major reservoirs Gandikota, Barahmam sagar, Chitravathi Balancing reservoirs and rain fed tanks, small water bodies witnessed totally dried up as the farmers find hard even getting water for sowing operations.

Penna river backwaters which propose to supply water for irrigating paddy cultivation for around 40,000 acres Sidhatavatam, Atluru, Rajampet, Ontimitta mandals appears like desert following lack of rains in neighboring district Nellore district.

Farmers of the district have proposed to irrigate around 1.50lakh hectors in the current Kharief season. Apart from Paddy, ground nut, Cotton, Red Gram, Green Gram, Black Gram, Jawar, Sunflower, Banana, Mango, Papaya are the major crops grown in the district. This time farmers are thinking to cultivate 60 percent against total crop area as there have no hopes of getting sufficient rain during Kharief season.

We are in dilemma over irrigating the crops in full fledged manner as there was no hopes of occurring sufficient rains in the current season. There is no hope of getting water back water of Somasila reservoir as Pennariver appears like desert." Said M.Kameswara Reddy Jyothi village of Sidhavatm mandal.told.

According to the sources Ground nut which is major crop grown in in the mandals like Rayachoti, Pulivendula, Kamalapuram, Jammalamadugu, Vempalli, VEmula, Chakrayapeta, Rjampet seems to be limited irrigate 60 percent against total 37,000 hectors during Kharief season.

When contacted by Hans India Joint Director of Agriculture T. Murali Krishna said farmers need not worry over irrigating crops as the administration is ensuring all steps for supplying water in the Kharief season. The agriculture officer hoped that arrival of monsoon likely to expected in 2nd week of June, resulted rains may occurred helps sowing operations in Kharief season.