With the State government releasing water for the Krishna Delta from Sunday, farmers expressed happiness over the decision and started farming activity in the fields. The farmers have already raised paddy nurseries in about 800 hectares and sowed groundnut, cotton, and sugarcane crops in about 20,000 hectares in Krishna district.
About five lakh farmers will raise paddy in 2.60 lakh hectares during kharif. Besides paddy, chilly, maize, black gram, green and red gram will be raised in the district.
Joint Director (agriculture) K.S.V. Prasad said that 32 mandals would be covered under the delta area and farming done in 22 upland mandals through borewells and tanks. “The seed and fertilizer position is good and distribution of seed is being done through societies and private shops,” he said.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Prasad said that paddy field preparation through ploughing started in Krishna district and sowing operations would continue till July 15. The canal water would be useful for watering the crops at initial stage.
“If there is good rainfall in the next two months, we can expect good production. Last year, farmers produced about 12 lakh tonnes of paddy in the district and if everything goes well, paddy crop will be good during kharif,” said the Joint Director.
No seed shortage
Stating that there was no shortage of seed and fertilizers, Mr. Prasad said that the officials were distributing MTU-1061 and BPT-5204 varieties of paddy seed. About 15,000 tonnes of seed was distributed through Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) and 37,000 quintals were being supplied on subsidy.
It was estimated that 2.80 lakh tonnes of fertilizers were required and 2.90 lakh tonnes of fertilizers were kept ready in the district, he said.
Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangam general secretary Kolli Nageswara Rao said the present rainfall would be sufficient for raising nurseries, tilling fields, and for doing transplantations. If there was rainfall in the catchment areas, Krishna and Godavari rivers would flow and we get good crop, he observed.
