In view of the deficit rainfall this season, the farmers in upland areas and partially in the Penna delta were badly affected as they were forced to delay the agricultural operations and wait for the rains or release of water from the reservoirs through canal systems.
In some areas in Kondapuram, Udayagiri and Duttaluru, the drought conditions have been bothering the local farmers for several years now.
Though the government had addressed the issue by declaring nearly 27 mandals as drought-hit already, this had brought little cheer to the farmers considering the fact that they were suffering losses from crop damages and lack of rains to a large extent every year.
Following the government’s decision, the Agriculture Department officials have started identifying farmers for rescheduling their crop loans in all the mandals which are in the list of drought affected areas.
Special teams formed
Among the drought-hit mandals this year are Sitarampuram, Kondapuram, Varikuntapadu, Vinjamuru, Duttaluru and so on. The district administration has formed special teams to visit these areas and assess the loss caused to the farmers due to absence of rains.
The teams comprise officials from the Agriculture, Rural Water Supply, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and other Departments.
Because of this recurring scenario, the farmers are looking for water releases from the reservoirs. The farmers in upland areas are now stepping up their demand for canal water more or less on par with their delta counterparts.
This year, the officials had put the deficit rainfall at 247 mm from June to October. For the past two months, the farmers have been eagerly awaiting rains to begin the sowing. “We have prepared the lands and are waiting for the rains. If the situation does not improve in the next few weeks, we will suffer further losses,” said Mr. Subba Reddy, a farmer from Buchireddypalem area.
A major concern in the rural areas is that the drought conditions have been continuing in various degrees in the district over the past four years.
Horticulture crops like mango and lemons were also badly affected in some seasons on account of poor rains or gales.
