AP CS wants contingency plans for crops in rain deficit districts

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy directed officials to come up with contingency plans to help farmers raise alternate crops in 130 mandals of six districts, where rainfall has been deficient.

The CS held a review meeting with officials from agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and sericulture departments on Saturday on flood and drought conditions in different parts of the state.

Jawahar Reddy underlined that in case rains fail to cover deficient districts in August too, the departments must implement their contingency plans. They should supply farmers with seeds that yield crops within a short duration. Similar seeds must be supplied to flood-hit farmers whose paddy nurseries have suffered damage. He asked animal husbandry authorities to supply fodder for livestock.

Officials informed the chief secretary that out of the targeted 34.39 lakh hectares for raising crops in Kharif season, farmers have so far raised crops only about 9.22 lakh hectares, compared to 14.2 lakh hectares last year.

Districts like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Bapatla received 20–50 per cent surplus rainfall, while Krishna alone recorded 60 per cent surplus rainfall. Districts like Ambedkar Konaseema, West Godavari, Nellore, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya and Tirupati recorded deficient rainfall ranging from 20 mm to 59 mm.

Officials said AP Seeds Development Corporation has procured 10,000 quintals of seeds for growing pulses in rain-deficient areas. Wherever there has been surplus rainfall, they are keeping ready nearly 30,000 quintals of paddy seeds like MTU 1010, 1121 and 1153, BPT 5204 and NLR 34449, which yield short-duration rice varieties.