With the days running out for the present Kharif season, farmers of the Kurnool district are expressing concern as the district has recorded deficit rainfall this year. The agriculture officials are warning of severe crop loss if the situation continues for another week.

Lack of proper irrigation facilities has forced the farmers to rely on rainfall which drastically impacted the crop cover in the district this year. Out of 4.50 lakh acres of arable land, farmers have cultivated only 3,02,665 acres of land, which gives a picture of the present situation. 

In addition to the deficit rainfall, the delay in the arrival of the monsoon has worsened the situation. In August, the district recorded a meagre 23.77 mm of rainfall compared to the normal rainfall of 116.20 mm.

District agriculture department joint director PL Vara Lakshmi said that during the southwest monsoon, which began in June and lasted till September, Kurnool district reported 219.10mm of rainfall against the total normal rainfall of 401.20mm. 

“Hoping for a good cropping season, the farmers have cultivated cotton, groundnut, red gram, onion, chilli and other standing crops by procuring seeds provided by the State government at subsidised prices. However, the deficit rainfall would impact the yield as the crops are almost dried in the district,” opined Vara Lakshmi.

Pointing towards the lack of proper irrigation facilities in the district, AP Rythu Sangam district president K Jagannatham said that the situation is due to a lack of water storage capacity in the district. Residents, particularly from the western part of the district, including Kurnool city, have been suffering from acute water shortage, he added. He further urged the government to declare the district as a drought-hit zone.

Source - https://www.newindianexpress.com