The first showers of the south west monsoon have raised hopes among farmers in the Prakasam district. After three consecutive years of drought, they expect a better crop yield this year.
As Eruvaka Pournami (full moon day in Mrigasira) promised bountiful rains and good harvest, farmers began ploughing after offering prayers to the majestic Ongole bulls, as the district received 50% of the monthly average rainfall of 58 mm in two days, with the monsoon setting on time in the first week of June.
Subsidised seeds
Sharing the enthusiasm of a group of farmers at K.V.Palem, near Chimakurthy, Environment Minister Sidda Raghava Rao distributed soil health cards and subsidised seeds for them to begin the Kharif crop cultivation on a confident note with the Indian Meteorological Department predicting near normal rains this year.
Conducive situation
“'The situation is conducive for sowing, among other crops, green gram in 4500 hectares, black gram in 5,500 hectares and sesame in 6800 hectares,” said Agriculture Assistant Director G.Ram Prasad.
“We have positioned 890 quintals of pulse crops including green gram, black gram and green manure crops” Mr. Ram Prasad said.
