Incessant and well-spread rains over the last two weeks have helped Telangana regain the lost ground in the kharif sowings. Though some crops still show deficit in sowings, officials are confident that the net area sown would be normal, as the coverage of rainfall was spread well across the state.

The average rainfall figures, which was well below the normal levels in the last few weeks threatening to hit the kharif prospects, has seen a turn around. At 429 mm as on date, the rainfall has reached the normal level, leaving only two districts — Nalgonda and Suryapet — in the deficit range. While 26 districts of the 33 districts are now in the normal range, five districts reported excess rainfall.

Paddy still lagged behind with a sown area of 4.39 lakh hectares as against the normal as-on-date sown area of 5.94 lakh hectares. Maize is sown in 3.44 lakh hectares as against the average as-on-date sown area of 4.31 lakh hectares. However, cotton, soyabean and redgram have reached the average sown area levels. Cotton is currently sown in an extent of 17 lakh hectares.

“We are yet to receive late information on the sowings. With copious rainfall reported across the State, we are confident of achieving the normal sown area in all crops this season,” an official of the Agriculture Department said.

According to the latest reports, in this season, the total sown area in the state is 32.47 lakh hectares, which is 75 per cent of the total of 43.34 lakh hectares.

comment COMMENT NOW