Deficit rainfall leads to sharp fall in crop area

Tirupati: The crop area in the Tirupati district fell sharply due to failure of the rains this kharif. The kharif preparation normally starts in May but this year the farmers could not take up agricultural operations in more that 62.13 per cent of the total area.

The total area under agriculture in the district is 33,961 hectares. As against this, so far only 21,102 hectares of crop area has been covered. Here the kharif season starts in June and ends in October. Crops are usually sown at the beginning of the first rains of the south-west monsoon, and they are harvested at the end of monsoon season (October–November).

But, this year some rain-fed crops like pearl millets, maize, finger millets, and groundnut have not been sown so far due to scanty rainfall. With the dry spell continuing in July, the farmers are worried and are anxiously waiting for rains.

According to official information, the actual rainfall from January till June is 132.9 mm against the normal rainfall 167.6 mm which is 20.7 mm less this year.

In July, the actual rainfall is 11.2 mm against the normal rain fall 103.2 (deficit is 89.1 mm) which explains the severity of dry spell.

Speaking to The Hans India, District Agriculture Joint Director P Dorasani said the crop area has been reduced to about 30 per cent this year due to delayed rains. Giving details of the various crops, Dorasani said paddy Actual Crop Area (ACA) in this kharif is 15,400 hectares against the Normal Crop Area (NCA) 19,292 hectares (deviation is 20.17 per cent), pearl millets ACA is 901 hect. against NCA 2, maize is 118 hect. (deviation is 42.54 per cent), groundnut ACA is 3,144 hect. against NCA 7,886 hect. (deviation is 39.86 per cent), sugarcane ACA is 1,406 hect. against NCA 3,492 hect. (deviation is 40.26) in this kharif season.

"Due to good rains in November 2021 there is sufficient water in the Kandaleru and Somasila dams. This is the reason that there was not much fall in the crop area," said Dorasani.