Scanty rainfall hits paddy cultivation

Vizianagaram: Though the kharif season started by June and completed two months so far, the farming activity is not yet progressed due to less rainfall in the area. Almost all the13 districts have received less rainfall.

The farmers who have prepared paddy nurseries and waiting for transplantation, if they receive enough rainfall. Currently, around 70 per cent of transplantation should have been completed by the first week of August but so far only 40-50 per cent of transplantation was completed due to non-availability of water.

Currently, paddy has to be grown in 1.2 lakh hectares in the district during kharif but due to lack of sufficient rainfall it was grown only in half of the area. The farmers in Parvathipiram division have shut down the paddy nurseries due to lack of rainfall. Kurupam, G L Puram, Salur, Komarada and Giyammavalasa mandals have completed the transplantation.

But the farmers in Vizianagaram division like Gajapathinagaram, Kothavalasa, Jami, Gurla, Denkada are looking at sky for rains as their nurseries are getting dry. Only the farmers of Gantyada are happy as they got water from Thatipudi reservoir. Only 411 mm of rainfall is registered against the normal rainfall of 441 mm in Vizianagaram district.

K Leelavathi, joint director of agriculture, said “The current situation is disappointing the farmers, but we are expecting good rains in second week of August. Then the farmers can start transplantation of paddy nurseries. They need not worry till the end of August and first week of September,” she said.

K Narayana Rao of Bondapalli mandal, said “I am planning to cultivate 4 acres of paddy in this season. But due to lack of rains, I am unable to transplant them so far. If the area receives enough rains, I can transplant paddy nurseries.”