Andhra Pradesh: Dip in rice production may lead to price rise

Visakhapatnam: There has been a steep decrease in rice production in Andhra Pradesh during the last Kharif, which may result in spiralling rice prices in the coming days. While the rice production was 7.4 million tonnes in 2015-16, it had drastically dropped to 4.5 million tonnes during 2016-17.

The drop is attributed to the decrease of paddy area coverage in the state, especially the Krishna delta. During 2016-17, the area covered under Kharif paddy is 14.55 lakh hectares, as against the normal area of 15.68 lakh hectares, which is less by 1.13 lakh hectares.

Rice in Andhra Pradesh is mostly irrigated through canals and streams which receive water either through rain or release of water from the dams, which in turn depend on the rains in the catchment areas. Due to late and non-release of sufficient water from the Nagarjunasagar Project, the area under Krishna delta has been reduced.

“To overcome the shortage of water through Nagarjunasagar, the water is supplied to Krishna delta through the Pattiseema project and the Pulichintala project. Because of late release of water in the Krishna delta, pre-kharif pulse crop is promoted in 50,000 hectares. Wherever possible, irrigated dry crops are promoted to bring uncovered delta paddy area into cultivation,” said Union minister of state for agriculture S.S. Ahluwalia, in Parliament.

Utilising a proper water harvesting system will help overcome a lower coverage of paddy area due to lack of sufficient water. There are two important factors that the government needs to consider and take measures immediately, at least to overcome this situation in the coming season.

“Reuse of the rainwater by holding it in farm ponds across the state can make a difference, as also the recharge of ground water. Funds from various agriculture and irrigation departments can be utilised to create farm ponds at various places that will help hold rain water. The rain water can be used at the place where it fell instead of bringing  the water through canals from dams. What we need is a better water management and harvesting system,” said noted agriculture scientist Dr. G.V. Ramanjaneyulu.

Union minister Ahluwalia said to enhance the production and productivity of paddy, the Depar-tment of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, the Government of India, is also implementing National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in five districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Rain plays truant in AP
Rainfall has been playing truant in Andhra Pradesh. The state had received at least 27.9mm deficit rainfall from last June till date. Deficit rainfall results in insufficient release of water from dams like Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam that irrigate lakhs of hectares in Andhra Pradesh.

The rainfall was 620.7 mm against the normal rainfall of 861.1mm. Nellore district, which would gain the most during the northeast monsoon, had received no measurable rain this monsoon and it has left the district parched with almost 75 per cent rainfall deficit in the district from June 2016.

The situation was worse in Chittoor and Prakasam districts with ab-out 50 per cent rainfall deficiency in both southwest and northeast monsoons combined. The same scene was seen in Srikakulam, Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool and East Godavari, with these districts witnessing only a few spells of rains during the current monsoon.

The groundwater levels are fast depleting in these districts due to the scanty rainfall, which could pose a serious threat during the coming summer months.