Paddy cultivation suspended in NTR district due to water scarcity

 Vijayawada: In light of the district's severe water shortage, the Agriculture Department has advised farmers to refrain from cultivating paddy during the upcoming rabi season. The decision was made following a meeting of the Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB), which concluded that no water would be released to the canals during the rabi season.

Agriculture officer S. Naga Manemma urged farmers to consider alternative crops instead of paddy, emphasising the need for water conservation. She suggested green gram varieties LGB 460, 630, 607, 407, 574, WGB 37 LGB 884, TBG 104, and GBG 1 as suitable alternatives for cultivation in the rabi season.

The district has experienced an 18 per cent rainfall deficit during the kharif season, leading to inadequate water storage in major reservoirs. This scarcity necessitates a shift away from water-intensive crops like paddy to ensure sustainable water management.