After first monsoon showers, farmers hurry to begin sowing operations

Officials ask farmers to slow down the process; express fears that rain may play truant this time

A good beginning: A farmer tilling his land for kharif sowing in Karimnagar on Thursday.

The first shower of monsoon keyed up the farmers in the district who desperately started tilling their land, hurrying to sow their crop.

However, the officials say the rain may play truant and that the farmers need to be patient. The erstwhile Warangal district witnessed sporadic rain with agency areas receiving little more rain than the plains. As against the normal rainfall of 137.2 mm in June, less than 10 % of it was witnessed as the week ended on Thursday.

Last year, as against the normal rainfall of 137.2, the district had witnessed 245.8 mm in June, thus recording an excess rainfall of 100 mm. But the July–August was a period of long dry spell.

But the loss was compensated as the entire district received double the average of 931.1 mm rain — there was bountiful rain in September followed by deficit rain from October to January 2017.

Wait for rain

Speaking to

The Hindu , District Agricultural Technology & Transfer (DATT) Centre Director R. Uma Reddy said farmers should start the farming operations only after the district receives at least 60 to 70% of the rainfall of the season. With 60% of rainfall, the soil would get wet as deep as 15 cm and it can withstand a dry spell without posing any danger to the standing crop.

“The farmers can sow till July 15 while paddy can be sown till July 31. There is no need to hurry,” he said.

The district has about four lakh farmers with a total area under cultivation being 12 lakh acres. Traditionally, the farmers grow cotton in six lakh acres and paddy in four lakh acres leaving only two lakh acres for other crops. The officials opine that it was not a good practice.

Crop advisory

Mr. Uma Reddy advised the farmers not to opt for cotton and paddy unless they have an assured irrigation facility.

Growing cotton would be a bad idea in rainfed areas. He warned the farmers against cultivating cotton as there was the threat of attack from pink boll worms that has no solution as yet. “The world-wide studies indicate a dangerous situation for cotton crop,” he explained.

The farmers were asked to opt for pulses such as red gram, green gram, black gram and jowar.

The officials said it was best to go for red gram which has cent per cent mechanisation and with less labour and more yield, the farmers could reap riches. At present, the red gram commands over ₹6,000 per quintal which was not assured in other cash crops. or any clarification, Mr. Uma Reddy could be reached on 9989 62314.