Despite the repeated requests by authorities and elected public representatives to wean away from planting paddy, farmers are invariably tilting towards sowing it in the erstwhile undivided district with plenty of water available in reservoirs (except Nizam Sagar) and also village irrigation tanks.
Besides, with the excess rainfall recorded in the just concluded monsoon soil is still wet even after the paddy harvest was over and the ground water got recharged bringing the water table up just a few feet below the ground. Another reason for the farmers for undertaking paddy is the 24X7 free power supply to farm sector.
Farmers are of the view that since the soil is wet only paddy can be sown and it will not be useful for sowing other crops and agriculture authorities have also endorsed it. As per the agriculture plan for the rabi (yasangi) prepared by the Agriculture Department different crops are likely to be raised in about 4 lakh acres and of them paddy would constitute 65 %.
Turmeric in ground
Maize, red jowar, safflower and Bengal gram would be raised in non-command areas. Turmeric and cotton crops are already on ground and they would be harvested by February. Despite the unpredictable rate in the market farmers are interested in raising red jowar in large tracts in Armoor area as they had already entered the agreement with traders.
According to Deputy Director, Agriculture, Mohammed Wajid Hussain, water is plenty in reservoirs and out of 1,200 tanks almost all are filled to the brim. With the SRSP backwater standing up to Babli, abundant water is available for running Ali Sagar and other lift schemes, he said.
Paddy nurseries
Farmers started raising paddy nurseries and 50 % nurseries have come to hand for sowing. Paddy and seeds of other crops were already supplied to farmers and there is no dearth of fertiliser, he said.
The authorities estimated over 70,000 tonnes of fertiliser inclusive of urea are required this season and indent has been placed. As there is no sufficient water in Nizam Sagar reservoir farmers would depend on agriculture pump sets for cultivation the Electricity department has started exercise to meet the demand. It is expected that about 15 million units per day is required during the peak season.
