Agricultural activity for Rabi season begins in TS

Hyderabad: Despite cyclone Michaung causing significant rainfall in certain regions of Telangana, the momentum of Rabi (Yasangi season) activity is steadily gaining ground. The unseasonal rainfall has notsubstantially hindered or delayed the Rabi season activity. Amidst the ongoing harvesting of paddy and other Kharif crops, the beginning of agricultural activity for Rabi crops is already in progress.

The abundant rainfall during the South West Monsoon has been a boon for most major irrigation projects in the State, leading to these reservoirs brimming with heavy inflows. However, despite this surplus, there’s a noticeable shortfall in the required quantity of water specifically within the Krishna basin projects. The deficient inflows into these projects stand in stark contrast to the overall scenario, posing a challenge to water availability and management in this particular region.

According to a senior official in Prof. Jayshankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), “As of now, the Rabi season activity is progressing well and the localised impact of cyclone Michaung’s rainfall in late November and December, mainly affecting districts like Khammam, Mahbubabad, and a few others, has not posed significant setbacks to the overall Rabi season activity in the State. In fact, the timely rainfall has likely provided a beneficial boost without causing widespread disruptions.” According to the senior official in the Agriculture department, “The impact of the cyclone is negligible and Rabi season activities are progressing very smoothly across the State.”

As per the data released by the Agriculture department officials until 13 December 2023, the cultivation of Rabi crops has already crossed eight lakh acres this year. Sowing of paddy is nearly 0.8 lakh acres, wheat in 0.25 lakh acres, jowar in 0.35 lakh acres, and coarse grains including Bengal gram in over 2.23 lakh acres, maise in 2.03 lakh acres.

Cultivation of Rabi crops, except paddy is mainly concentrated in districts such as Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Nirmal, Nagarkurnool, Vikarabad and Kamareddy districts, where Bengal gram, groundnut, jowar crops are grown in this season. The Rabi crop cultivation in the six districts of the State this season spans a range from 31.5 to 56.2 percent. Comparing this to the previous Rabi season in 2022-23, where crops were cultivated across approximately 72.63 lakh acres, the distribution stood at nearly 56.45 lakh acres for paddy, 6.48 lakh acres for maize, 3.64 lakh acres for Bengal gram, and 2.43 lakh acres for groundnut.