A dry spell jeopardizes the hopes of cotton farmers
Despite the IMD's forecast for good rainfall from July to September, a prolonged dry spell has impacted rain-fed crops, especially cotton, in the State.
In Hyderabad, many districts are experiencing severe dry conditions, dampening the hopes of cotton farmers. Poor germination due to insufficient soil moisture is forcing many farmers to consider a second round of sowing. However, the availability and cost of seeds for a second sowing within a month present significant challenges, potentially driving farmers towards alternative crops.
Farmers, relying on the forecast of good rains, had extensively planted cotton, covering over 4 million acres by mid-June. However, several districts reported deficient rainfall, including Mancherial, Peddapalli, Adilabad, Asifabad, Kothagudem, Khammam, Siddipet, and Kamareddy. Specific deficiencies include:Adilabad, 74 mm in Mancherial, 44 mm in Nirmal, 38 mm in Nizamabad, 58 mm in Peddapalli, 44 mm in Bhupalpalli, 34 mm in Jagitial, 20 mm in Bhadradri Kothgudem, 38 mm in Karimnagar and 31 in Rajanna Sircilla, 28 mm in Kamareddy and 39 mm in Mulugu.
The dry spell, lasting over a couple of weeks, has severely affected cotton and other rain-fed crops. Small landholders have resorted to using sprinklers to maintain soil moisture for better germination. However, those cultivating larger areas (5 to 10 acres) are struggling to save their crops.
Reports from districts like Nirmal and Kothagudem indicate that if the dry spell continues for another week to ten days, farmers could face substantial losses at the start of the Kharif season. Additionally, the availability of seeds for a second sowing is a significant concern.
The Department of Agriculture has promised to facilitate seed supply according to demand, but farmers report shortages of the most sought-after seed varieties. Agriculture officials, however, claim there is no seed supply shortage and believe it is premature to determine the fate of the seeds within just a couple of weeks.
