Paddy farmers in north Andra districts are facing the brunt of deficit rainfall, with substantial investments of Rs 20,000 per acre for fertilizers and other inputs. Both undivided Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, along with certain areas of Visakhapatnam, are experiencing below-average rainfall.

Uneven rainfall from June to October is causing distress for farmers, with over 40,000 acres of crops at risk due to dwindling water in tanks and a lack of irrigation for tail-end lands.

In Vizianagaram, which boasts 2.30 lakh acres of paddy cultivation, nearly 45% of farm fields rely on rainfall. The absence of rain over the past three weeks has led to critical conditions in several mandals, including Gajapatinagaram, Vepada, Gantyada, Dattirajeru, Ramabhadrapuram, Kottavalasa, L Kota, and others, where fields have dried up, developed deep cracks, and pose a significant threat to rainfed rice growers.

VT Rama Rao, joint director of the agricultural department, revealed that crops in 2300 acres have already been severely damaged due to the rainfall deficit.

He expressed hope for rain in the upcoming week as a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has been marked. However, if rain does not arrive within that timeframe, an additional 24,000 acres of crops are expected to face permanent damage.

Vizianagaram district typically experiences 1112 millimeters of rainfall, but has received 749.2 millimeters so far. Officials consider this slightly below normal, but not an alarming deviation from the expected rainfall levels.

The chairman of Vizianagaram district Zilla Parishad, Majji Srinivasa Rao, urged officials to support farmers facing crop losses due to inadequate rainfall. During the district-level agricultural advisory council meeting, he encouraged officials to provide guidance and raise awareness among farmers about optimal water reservoir usage.

In Srikakulam district, tensions flared between farmers from Nadingaon and Vajrpukotturu mandals as the gates of the 58 R canal were opened between Narendrapuram and Sivarampuram. Irrigation officials intervened to determine water allocation to each area.

Tekkali constituency MLA and TDP President K Acchennaidu called on the district collector to declare the district as drought-affected and provide compensation to affected farmers. He also requested the implementation of lift irrigation to address the region's water scarcity caused by the rainfall deficit, emphasizing the need for officials and farmers to inspect fields in Narsannapeta, Tekkali, Palasa, and other constituencies.

Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com