Kharif sowing picks up momentum

Vizianagaram: The recent rains encouraged farmers in the state to make arrangements for taking up the cultivation of kharif crop. Paddy is cultivated in more than 75 per cent of agriculture land during the kharif season as the crop needs more water.

Apart from paddy, red gram, groundnuts and other commercial crops are being cultivated in the season. As per the statistical figures, farmers in Andhra Pradesh have sown paddy on 36 lakhs hectares so far and the farmers of Vizianagaram district sown 1,82,663 hectares till date.

Farmers spilling the seeds and after growing the nurseries, they will sow them in fields after receiving adequate rainfall. Within two weeks, they will undertake the cultivation. Most of the paddy farmers store the seeds on their own and only the commercial crops like ground nut, cotton and maize seeds are being purchased from the dealers.

On the other hand, small farmers are searching for private loans from the lenders in their areas for investment. If they get the loans from banks, they need to pay only six per cent interest, but the norms, rules and regulations make it difficult in getting loans sanctioned from banks, whereas, the private lenders collect more per cent interest with less conditions.

K Mohana Rao of Kandivalasa village said, “I have taken Rs 40,000 loan from a private lender for Rs 24 per cent interest. I need to pay the principle amount and interest after harvesting of the crops.”

During this season, Vizianagaram district received 115 mm of rainfall during July so far against the normal rainfall of 144 mm. Even the reservoirs like Thotapalli, Peddagedds, Vattigedda and Vengalaraya Sagar also received enough water from the recent rains and the farmers are gearing up their works for kharif.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Wednesday, K Srinivasa Rao, deputy engineer of Thotapalli Reservoir, said that the project is filled with the recent rains and its inflow is 3810 cusecs and outflow is 3221 cusecs. They are releasing water for the kharif as the farmers are gearing up for their works. “We are expecting good rains in August and September, then, we will receive abnormal inflow from the river basin,” he said.