Timely rains provide respite to kharif crops

Srikakulam: Low pressure and seasonal rains are providing respite to kharif crops in the district. Due to long dry spell, almost all crops, including prime crop paddy, were badly affected. But low pressure and seasonal rains provided big relief to these crops. Rains started 10 days ago in the district and directly sown paddy has survived with these rains in upland mandals like Sompeta, Mandasa, Palasa, Vajrapukotturu, Kaviti, Kanchili, Itchapuram in the district.

Paddy crop is cultivated in an extent of 5 lakh acre in the district during every kharif season. The crop requires more quantity of water than other crops. Due to dry spell and scanty rainfall, paddy nurseries and directly sown crops were badly affected in upland areas in the district. With these rains, farmers started paddy transplantation works as sufficient water is available.