ANANTAPUR: Groundnut sowing is confined to only 50 per cent of the lands during the kharif season following hurdles during the early part of the South West Monsoon in Anantapur district, the top grower of groundnut in the country.
Poor monsoon and prolonged dry spells worsened the farmer’s distress across the Rayalaseema region, particularly in the Anantapur district, towards poor sowing of groundnut.
Though the sowing had to start by June first week during southwest monsoon rains and a majority of the sowings would complete by July end during every season, not even 50 per cent of dry lands was cultivated with groundnut, a major crop of Rayalaseema, this season.
Actual coverage of 2.31 lakh hectares as against a total extent of 3.70 lakh hectares in Anantapur district alone normally sees sowing of groundnut crop while other intercrops like maize, red gram, and sunflower are covered in the kharif season if rains occur at the right time.
Though the southwest monsoon entered the region on June 12, it was stuck for many days and the rains were delayed. Normal rainfall is 61mm while a deviation led to only 38.4mm of rainfall this time. Many Mandals still did not have rainfall though the time for sowing is over. For instance, groundnut was sown on only 9640 acres as against the total acreage of 21,000 acres in Madakasira mandal of Satyasai district alone.
The agriculture department advised farmers to go for alternative crops instead of leaving the lands idle throughout the year.
