The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Officials cautious about crop transplantation

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Sunday, Jul 01, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Officials cautious about crop transplantation

Months of July and August ‘critical’

No proper weather forecast to take up contingency steps
Automated weather monitoring systems proposed in State

HYDERABAD: The Agriculture Department is cautious about the prospect of crops in rain-fed areas in spite of widespread rainfall in several parts of the State.

The recent rains have, no doubt, come as a blessing for crops under canal and borewell irrigation. But, these constitute only about 40 per cent of the total crop area, leaving over 50 per cent area where the season is yet to commence.

Transplantation normally commences around mid-July in rain-fed areas, located predominantly in Telangana and Rayalaseema regions, and crops would require sufficient water for about two months from then on.

July and August are, therefore, critical for the department as the transplanted crop will start flowering then.

“What is required in these areas is evenly distributed and timely rain,” Agriculture Commissioner A.R. Sukumara said.

Mr. Sukumara told The Hindu that the situation would not augur well for farmers in case of either deficit rain or excess of it.

While deficit rainfall would bring down the area under cultivation, excess rainfall during the two months would result in severe damages to the crop.

Coupled with this is the absence of an effective weather forecast mechanism that would help officials in taking contingency measures.

“The present system will help forecast rain about four days in advance. Efforts have been intensified for positioning automated weather monitoring systems in different parts of the State to overcome this problem,” he said.

Excess rainfall

Asked about the rainfall, he said as many as 19 out of 23 districts received excess rainfall this season with the depression in Bay of Bengal turning South West monsoon vigorous. Karimnagar, Medak and Nizamabad received normal rainfall while Adilabad is the only district with deficit rainfall.

While Prakasam and Kurnool received more than 350 per cent rains, rainfall in 10 other districts was 100 per cent above the normal.

About the transplantation so far, he said sowing was taken up only in nine per cent area in Rayalaseema region due to the recent heavy rains. Sowing of cotton was, however, gaining momentum in seven Telangana districts and Guntur and Prakasam districts in coastal Andhra.

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