The government has kicked off the Kharif season earlier this year on June 15 to prevent crop damage caused by recent untimely rains and hailstorms. However, this advanced plan may face challenges due to weak monsoon conditions and temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius in Karimnagar district, causing concern among farmers who are now praying for rain.
In Karimnagar district, crops will be cultivated in approximately 3,45,700 acres, while Peddapalli district will see cultivation in 2,83,321 acres and Rajanna Sircilla district in 2,40,000 acres. The Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains in the first week of June across the district and the entire state. Some farmers have already planted high-yield crops like corn, paddy, and maize due to early rains in April and May.
Farmers who have not planted seeds yet are preparing their land for planting and hoping for rain. They plan to cultivate cotton, maize, turmeric, and other crops alongside paddy during this kharif season. However, some farmers who have already sown seeds with fertilizers are concerned as the seeds have not germinated yet.
The government has introduced an early cultivation system this year to protect crops from unseasonal rains. Officials have surveyed soil fertility to determine suitable crops for each area and ensured availability of seeds. The pre-crop season plan was delayed due to the postponement of the south-west monsoon.
Nampalli Veeraiah, a farmer, shared his struggle with drying cotton plants due to lack of rain after investing in seeds. He expressed concerns about potential losses if the plants do not survive. With many ponds and tanks empty this year compared to last year’s good rainfall, farmers are anxious about delayed rains affecting crop yields in June, the typical planting month.
