Hyderabad: The state government has cut crop production estimates by more than half for this kharif season owing to drought conditions and longer dry spells in Telangana state.
In the kharif season last year, the total foodgrain production in the state was 82.52 lakh tonnes. Production during the kharif season this year — set to end in another nine days — is estimated at 37.69 lakh tonnes, which amounts to a 54.3 per cent reduction.
The latest projections show an alarming trend in foodgrain production in the state and indicate that the state government will have to depend heavily on imports from other states to meet the demand. The government has even cut the productivity of crops to 16.1 per cent.
The latest report on crop estimates was submitted by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics. These estimates have taken into account deficit rainfall, dry spells and reduction in crop sown areas. The report predicted a steep decline in production of rice, wheat, maize, red gram, black gram and green gram.
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Second advance estimates in January
Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said that these are first advance estimates for kharif based on rainfall data obtained from June to August. “Though there were good rains in June initially, there were long dry spells in July and August and crops dried up and the area sown also came down. But there were good rains in some districts in September, prompting farmers to sow fresh crops. The directorate will release second advance estimates in January 2018, which will actually assess the food grain production in the state,” he said.
He added that the Indian Meteorological Department has projected rains even in October and November, due to developing cyclones, and if this prediction is correct, the rabi production will increase, which will offset the kharif losses.
