Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Drought-like conditions may hit paddy yield

VISAKHAPATNAM: Drought-like conditions prevail in the district, painting a dismal picture of the kharif crop output, particularly the paddy yield. Long dry spell in October has led to the sorry state. The condition is no different in November as well.

The deficit in rainfall has hit the paddy crop at the crucial time of grain formation in October. Against a normal of 205 mm, the district received a scanty 63.8 mm during that month. Lack of rain during the month results in chaffy grains hitting the yield hard. In November too, though depression-induced rain damaged crop elsewhere in the State, the rain received was not significant in the district.

The season began on a positive note this kharif though poor rain delayed sowings. Against a normal of 90,796 ha in the district, paddy was sown in 95,000 ha.

Now, initial official figures say paddy crop in 10,300 ha is drought-hit. Only if more than 50 per cent of the crop is damaged, it is considered drought-hit. This figure is likely to go up if a detailed survey is taken up. In fact, a detailed enumeration of the damage has been going on and is likely to be completed in a week, according to sources.

Another pointer to the severity of the situation is that in only 11 of the 43 mandals the crop condition is good. In the remaining 32 mandals, the crop has been damaged indicating drought-like conditions.

In the agency area, out of the 1 lakh ha crop area in 48,000 ha paddy was sown this season. Official estimates say that in 2,046 ha, paddy is drought-hit. Even as official maintain that owing to perennial streams and sowing in hill slopes the crop will survive, they admit that wherever girijans resorted to ‘broadcasting’ and in the interior areas the damage could be higher. Crops like bajra, jowar were harvested by October and the yield was good, say officials.

But rajma sown in October is withering but rain this month provided some succour. Niger, a major crop that gives agency the famed, yellow landscape, however, gives an indication of the drought-like conditions.

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