Mahabubnagar: Rain deficit leaves farmers jittery

Mahabubnagar: Farmers across Mahabubnagar district are facing tough time as the lack of rains in the past 25-30 days severely hit cotton, maize, jowar and other rain-fed crops in the district.

Particularly maize, jawar and cotton crops are already on the verge of drying up due to hot sunny days and fast evaporation of moisture from the soil.

According to Bhimla Nayak of Shankarayapally of Jadcherla mandal, his 4 acres of cotton crop already dried up due to lack of not even a single rain spell during the past 25-30 days. He fears that he will lose his entire investment of Rs. 1.5 lakh and would get debt-ridden as he had taken loans from private lenders.

Another farmer Venkatesh who had sown Jowar crop on his 2 acres land is also worried a lot as already his crop dried up and half of it is lost. “I had spent Rs 15,000 per acre to sow jowar crop, but due to lack of rains all of crop is on the verge of getting dried up. Already I have a debt burden of Rs 2.5 lakh. With no rains this loss will bury me under heavy debts,” he deplored.

Not just farmers in Jadcherla, the scenario is the same in all the 15 mandals across the district. In Kowkuntal mandal, more than 90 per cent farmers are depending on rain-fed crops.

The paddy crop which requires high water is also on the verge of damage, as the bore wells are yielding increasingly little waater.

The farmers are turning to rain god to save them from severe losses. Muslim farmers from Koukuntal and surrounding villages like Islampally gathered at a Masjit and offered special prayers for good rains.