Amaravati, Sep 13 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu on Sunday directed officials to take immediate measures to protect crops facing moisture stress due to deficient rainfall and the impact of El Nino, asking them to use every available water source for protective irrigation.
Reviewing rainfall, Kharif cultivation and crop conditions, the minister said the government would support farmers and asked Agriculture and Water Resources officials to coordinate closely, regularly inspect fields and take timely action.
“Officials should take urgent steps to safeguard crops affected by moisture stress due to poor rainfall and the El Nino conditions, making use of all available water resources for protective irrigation,” Atchannaidu
said in an official press release.
Officials said the state received 218.2 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 12 against the normal 476.1 mm, resulting in a 54.2 percent deficit.
As of September 12, Kharif crops had been cultivated over 26.50 lakh hectares, including 12.01 lakh hectares of paddy and 4.11 lakh hectares of cotton.
Crops were affected in 284 mandals and 1,792 Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs)/villages, covering over 2.4 lakh hectares. Of this, nearly 1.9 lakh hectares faced moisture stress, 41,474 hectares reported wilting and 10,582 hectares had dried up.
Kurnool recorded the largest affected area at over one lakh hectares, followed by Nandyal (80,751 hectares) and Anantapur (32,456 hectares). Red gram and cotton were among the worst-affected crops, covering 74,301 hectares and 73,733 hectares respectively, it said.
Officials said surveys had been completed for 2.7493 crore of 2.7558 crore plots, leaving 65,233 pending. Crop health data was updated for 98.10 lakh of 1.082 crore plots, with 10.10 lakh still pending.
Atchannaidu directed officials to complete the pending work and identify low-water-consuming alternative crops. Alternative crops had been taken up in 34,567 hectares, with another 95,112 hectares yet to be covered. PTI MS SA
