Expecting further delay in the arrival of the monsoon, the Chittoor district administration has postponed the distribution of groundnut seeds by another week from the earlier distribution date of June 10.
In June, a month when major crops are sown, the district has so far received deficit rain in all mandals, cumulatively minus 76 mm rain, which is considered alarming, according to the Agriculture department.
Last year, though the rain projection remained favourable until the second week of June, rain failed, forcing several farmers to give up sugarcane cultivation in Nagari, GD Nellore, Chittoor and Palamaner assembly constituencies.
Intercropping
This year, even as tomato plantations await rain, acreage of crops this kharif is expected to dwindle. And cultivation in about 2.3 lakh hectares is likely to go down.
Joint Director of Agriculture (Chittoor) Vijay Kumar said the deficit rain of minus 76 was alarming. “We have asked farmers to wait till the third and fourth week of June for sowing. We have received 25,000 of the required 75,000 quintals of groundnut seeds for distribution. The price of seeds and subsidy is yet to be finalised,” he said.
Apart from seeds, he added, farmers would receive gypsum as well. “We are going to encourage intercropping of red gram and millets this season along with the main crop of groundnut in 1.2 lakh hectares,” Mr. Kumar said.