Khammam: State looks for alternatives

Khammam: The farm department responded to the dry spell conditions in the district and evolved two alternative kharif crop plans. The two alternative crop plans are related to the two different schedules.

The targeted crop extent of the present kharif plans is different. The extent was taken as per the average cultivable area of the kharif season.

As part of the first plan, farmers were asked to go to the irrigated dry crops from July 30. Farmers have to raise maize paddy, green gram, red gram, cotton and chilli in the July 30 time schedule.

The target of area is pruned to 1.41 lakh hectares against 1.92 lakh hectares of cultivable area in the first plan. Farmers should raise maize, cotton and chilli over a limited extent.

Paddy farmers were asked to raise the crop under minor irrigation tanks and borewells. The extent of paddy was reduced from 59000 to 43,000 hectares.

Cotton farmers shou-ld sow 65,000 hectares as against 96,000 hec-tares in the district. The cultivable extent and crops have been decided based on the June and July rainfall and available water.

In case the dry spell continues after July 30, officials will ready the second crop plan from August 15.  The government is not hopeful of receiving water for the Srisailam and Nagarj-unasagar. The second plan is designed based on the expected rainfall in the coming days.

In the second plan, farmers were advised to go for short time yielding varieties in it. The cultivable area in the second plan will be less when compared to the first one.

The cultivable extent will be 1.10 lakh hectares in the second plan, 81,000 hectares less than the norm.

The paddy sown area will be 19,500 hectares against the total of 59,000 hectares. Cotton will be allowed on 68,000 hectares against 96,000 hectares. There is no chance of raising green gram and crops like red gram and maize are reduced to 60 per cent.