ANANTAPUR: Farmers of Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts are in a dilemma whether to grow groundnut or cotton during the Kharif season even as the monsoon is on the threshold of onset.
Groundnut had once been in high demand. However, its cultivation has been falling owing to the rampant circulation of spurious seeds, whose germination is poor. Further, insurance is only available for commercial crops like cotton.
In the past 25 years, profitable groundnut yields have been recorded only in seven years – 1995 (yield 1,310 kg/ha), 1998 (1,145), 2000 (1,116), 2007 (1,258), 2017 (992), 2018 (1240), and 2019 (yield 1,250 kg/ha).
AP Seeds Corporation and the Department of Agriculture are coordinating preparations for the sale of groundnut seeds in the Rayalaseena area, including in Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts through Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs). However, the sales volume has decreased from 100,000 quintals in the 2022 Kharif season to 78,000 quintals this year. Though Anantapur is the top groundnut-growing district in the country, its crop extent has been declining over the years.
According to joint director (Agriculture) B. Chandra Naik, 15,000 quintals of groundnut seed has been prepared and made available to RBKs thus far. Additionally, 13,000 farmers have registered to buy another 15,000 quintals.
Dr. M. Suresh Babu and Goutham Buddha, members of Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO), who have studied the climatic vagaries of groundnut crop have suggested diversification of crops to avoid losses. They pointed out that of seeds distributed on subsidy through the Department of Agriculture in Anantapur district, only 20 per cent are certified seeds. Rests are truthful seeds or those whose quality is vouched for by producers and not by any state seed certifying agency.
A study by the FPO has revealed that seed production in the formal sector, that is, groundnut produced for purposes of seed by registered farmers or in seed villages, plays a very limited role in the overall seed requirement of the district.
While one-third of the farmers’ seed requirement is met by the agricultural department, only a small portion of it, say about 20 per cent, is produced as certified seeds. Bulk of seed requirement is met by farmers themselves, either by way of their own retained seeds or from other farmers or friends or relatives. or from middlemen who deal in seeds. Moreover, Rythu Bharosa Kendras are reportedly not maintaining stocks. Last year’s allocations of groundnut seeds had been poor.
Thus, farmers are at cross roads, whether to go in for cultivation of groundnut or cotton this year.
