Khammam: Irrigation led to more demand

Khammam: Unprecedented developments, including increased cultivation due to the completion of the Bhakta Ramadas lift irrigation project, have led to an escalating demand of urea in Khammam district. Companies have supplied 32,000 tonnes of urea so far and the scarcity has been placed at 20,000 tonnes in the district.

There are three reasons for this. Farm officials and fertiliser distributors failed to assess the increasing demand for the Kharif season. The area under paddy cultivation has increased to unexpected levels.

At first, the farmers raised paddy in 50,000 acres under the Bhakta Ramdas scheme in five mandals, including Nelakondapalli, Tirm-alayapalem, Kusuma-nchi, Mudigonda and Khammam Rural. Paddy planting is in progress.

The district had deficit rainfall in the early part of the season but the rainfall increased later which encouraged farmers to cultivate in more areas. Paddy has been raised in 1.34 lakh acres under the Nagar-junasagar Left canal and the figure may increase.

Farm officials had not anticipated the sudden increase in paddy cultivation and the farmers are asking for urea for the crop, which has led to an unexpected scarcity in urea.