As expected, the rabi/yasangi cultivation is galloping towards all-time high in Telangana as it has already crossed 9.3 lakh hectares with paddy itself being cultivated in an extent of 4.71 lakh hectares in the second week of January.
Thanks to the favourable conditions such as availability of water in all sources of irrigation — major, medium and minor projects, minor irrigation tanks and groundwater table — and hassle-free availability of other inputs like seed and fertilizer, the sowing/transplantation of rabi crops is progressing swiftly.
“We have expected it to be around 20 lakh hectares this season and it is moving in the direction,” a senior officer said adding that highest rabi cultivation in the State was recorded in 2016-17 when it was 15.36 lakh hectares, including paddy in 8.66 lakh hectares.
Extent under paddy
In line with the Agriculture Department’s estimation, the rabi cultivation has already gone up by over 50% this year compared to the same period last year. Against the cultivation of crops in 6.06 lakh ha in the second week of January last year, the extent covered has already crossed 9.03 lakh ha. Paddy cultivation is more than double the last year with transplantation completed in 4.71 lakh ha this year as against 2.15 lakh ha last year.
Cultivation of bengalgram too has picked up this season compared to the previous years as it has been sown in 1.43 lakh ha, followed by maize and groundnut as other major crops.
Reservoirs full
“All the major reservoirs in the State too have better storage as on date this year compared to several previous years as the flood season was spread over August, September and October. Besides, over 50 tmc ft was has been lifted through Kaleshwaram this year (2019-20) enabling filling of a large number of minor irrigation tanks in about 10 districts,” a Chief Engineer said.
He explained that major reservoirs in the Godavari basin have about 160 tmc ft storage as on January 14 and in the Krishna basin they about 400 tmc ft of water. Paddy transplantation is in progress under canals of all major irrigation projects and the exercise is expected to stretch till February 15 with the help of better groundwater table and 24×7 free power to agriculture, the engineer stated.
