The farmers of the partially rain-shadow district of Chittoor are happy with good rainfall this month. After a gap of half a decade, the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Chittoor is considered punctual, as the 63 of the district’s 66 mandalas recorded 2,137mm of rainfall on Sunday.
The monsoon rains have raised farmers’ hopes for a good kharif season when it comes to yield. The peanut farmers prepare for sowing on around 1.4 lakh hectares. Rice is grown on around 20,000 hectares in the district and sugar cane on around 15,000 hectares. Officials said the early monsoons this year are causing farmers to step up their farms. The rural mandalas of Tavanampalle and Chittoor have rainfall of more than 100mm, giving farmers a breather who await bumper harvests this Kharif season.
Joint Director (Agriculture) S. Dorasani said The Hindu that the Khariff season got off to a very good start with excessive rainfall in Chittoor. “According to the weather forecast, the monsoons will be strong this year. Aside from the eastern mandalas, several farmers can now start operating in the western mandalas, ”she said.
The official said that since peanuts happen to be the district’s main crop, 80,000 quintals of seeds would be distributed to farmers who would start sowing on June 15, thanks to good water table there. We will encourage mixed cultures this Karif season, ”said Ms. Dorasani.
Meanwhile, downpours were reported in Puthalapattu and Tavanampalle and a dozen western mandalas from Saturday night until the early hours of Sunday morning.
Officials said two comb gates of the NTR Jalasayam near Chittoor were raised in the face of the strong influx.