Late pickup. Kharif sowing in AP picks up on late rains

After going through a slack pacc for about six weeks, kharif sowing has improved in Andhra Pradesh. Thanks to late rains, farmers have covered an area of 25 lakh hectares so far, with paddy and cotton regaining lost ground.

Though the total area covered so far is still less than the average as-on-date area of 29 lakh ha. By July 26, the farmers had covered only 10 lakh ha as against the as-on-date normal area of 15 lakh ha.

“But for the North Coastal districts, the rainfall was normal. After a lull in the initial few weeks of the monsoon season, rainfall had been well spread across the State,” Keshava Rao, President of All-India Kisan Sabha (Andhra Pradesh), told BusinessLine.

Paddy farmers have covered 10.27 lakh ha so far against 11 lakh ha on the same day in a normal year. Cotton and groundnut crops are likely to witness a drop in acreage.

“Some cotton farmers are shifting to chillies on better prices,” Keshava Rao said.

Cotton farmers have covered an area of 4.46 lakh ha as on date as against the comparable average figure of 5.10 lakh ha. The State set a target of 6 lakh ha for the season

Redgram, the other major crop in the State, is likely to fall below the targeted area of 2.68 lakh ha. According to the latest information, redgram was sown in 1.78 lakh ha.

Meanwhile, the State Government has decided to discourage farmers from growing paddy, tobacco and sugarcane under borewell irrigation.

The Agriculture Department said they could covert an area of 0.60 lakh ha under such crops to horticultural crops in 2020-21. They are looking at converting more area this kharif.

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