Mancherial: 72 per cent less rainfall observed, farmers worried

Mancherial: The district received more than 70 per cent less rainfall than the normal in June, leaving farmers worried. According to the weather report of the Telangana Yojana Vikas Society, the district recorded 87.5 mm rainfall from June 1 to 18, indicating an average deficit of 72 per cent. Out of the total 18 mandals, 16 mandals recorded a deficit of 50 to 80 per cent, while Bheemini and Jaipur recorded 98 per cent less rainfall. Due to cloudy weather and unseasonal rains, mango farmers in Mancherial are facing a crisis. This severe shortage has become a matter of concern for a large section of farmers who had sown seeds of cotton, paddy, red gram, maize, jowar, soya etc and waited for rain after the onset of southwest monsoon in the first week of June. They regret that in view of the less rain, they may have to buy seeds and sow them again. They argue that the seeds they had sown have not yet germinated. Meanwhile, farmers who had not sown seeds are also worried about the prolonged drought. They say they will be able to sow seeds only after seeing plentiful rains. They said they have prepared the fields, bought seeds and are waiting for rains. They said they are following the advice of agriculture officials, who have advised farmers not to sow seeds for now. Officials said the expected area for cultivation of various crops in the district is 3.42 lakh acres in the current Vanakalam season, while it is 3.35 lakh acres in 2023. While cotton crop will be grown in 1.62 lakh acres, paddy crop will be grown in 1.61 lakh acres. Red gram and maize crops are in 1787 and 413 acres respectively. Various other crops are to be grown in 16,081 acres. Officials claimed that adequate seeds, fertilizers and pesticides have already been dispatched to the mandal centres.