Scanty rainfall under the influence of North-East monsoon and during the winter season has resulted in crops suffering from moisture stress in Kurnool and Anantapur. With rabi crop being sown in 16.21 lakh hectares in the 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh and levels in the major reservoirs being low, water management is going to be a formidable task for the State government. Groundwater, which was an average 11 metres below the ground level, might not be sufficient to bail out farmers with standing crop. The water levels in the major reservoirs of Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar are also low. The amount of water available in the important major reservoirs is Srisailam 103.4 tmcft, Nagarjuna Sagar 114.6 tmcft and Pulichintala 0.5 tmcft. While paddy was sown in 4.59 lakh hectares till today, course grains (wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi ad minor millets) were sown in 2.66 lakh hectares. The area in which pulses were sown is 9.21 lakh hectares. Officials of the Agriculture Department said that blackgram and groundnut crop in Kurnool district that were either in the vegetative or the sensitive flowering stage were suffering from moisture stress. Similarly, Bengalgram in Anantapur was under moisture stress in Anantapur district. Officials said that there would be a drastic reduction in yields due to dry spell this year of these two crops. Jowar, bajra, maize, Bengalgram, groundnut and sesamum that were sown were still in the vegetative stage. The greengram and blackgram were entering the flowering stage. Cash crops The two cash crops -- chillies and tobacco -- were also entering the flowering stage. Paddy was in the transplantation stage in the Godavari and Penna deltas and Niger was the only crop that was ready to be harvested. “Paddy sown in rabi will require at least two more wettings. Paddy farmers with land in Budameru ayacut are cultivating with sewage water. Farmers with access to groundwater are using it out of desperation,” said K. Hanumantha Rao, a farmer from Kankipadu mandal.

Stay updated with all the Latest Vijayawada headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.