Crops dry as drought worsens

Crops dry as drought worsens October 17, 2011 By DC Correspondent Ongole Crops dry as drought worsens The agriculture sector in Prakasam district is in dire straits, due to prevailing dry conditions. Crops in many areas have dried up at flowering stage, due to shortage of irrigation water. As a result, farmers took up cultivation on around 1,87,439 hectares, this year, as compared to last year’s 3.98 lakh hectares. In all, 3.49 lakh marginal farmers, 1.49 lakh small farmers, and 5.10 lakh agriculture labourers, eke out a livelihood in the district, based on agriculture.. Known to be first two completed irrigation projects under Jalayagnam, the Kandula Obula Reddy Gundlakamma, and Magunta Subbarami Reddy Ramateertham, reservoirs were yet to supply irrigation water due to non-completion of canals, and other works despite having water reserves. Lack of remunerative price, forced tobacco farmers to give up its cultivation, and led them to lease out their lands. Paddy farmers, on the other hand, were left in the lurch with piled up stocks, due to poor price for the last few years, and declared a crop holiday in Karamchedu, Inkollu, Martur, Parchur, Chinag-anjam, Chirala, and other areas of the district. Adding more woes, farmers in the district have not received their share of water from Sagar canal, despite having sufficient water reserves in Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects. On the other hand, depleted groundwater level in Pullalachervu, Tripurantakam, Yerragon-dapalem, Dornala, Kani-giri, and other mandals, in the western part of the district, dried up crops such as sweet lemon, tomato, and lime. A farmer, U. Obula Reddy, of Guntupalli of PC Palli mandal, lamented that he was forced to adopt sheep farming due to dry conditions. Responding to the complaints of farmers, the MLAs, Mr Daggubati Venkateswar Rao and Mr Gottipati Ravikumar, on Sunday, asked Sagar canal chief engineer, Mr Sarathchandra Reddy, to increase water supply in the canal over the phone. Meanwhile, a team of agriculture officials led by agriculture joint director (seeds), Dr J. Jayakumar, is touring various areas of the district, to study the drought conditions. The AP Rythu Sangham district president, Mr K.V.V. Prasad, demanded announcing of Prakasam district, as drought-hit. The Telugu Rythu district, Mr K. Venkaiah, Kisan Congress district president, Mr K. Hanum-aiah, and others demanded supply of quota water from the Sagar canal, to aid farmers, at least in the next Rabi season.