According to sources Telangana recorded 38% deficit rainfall, according to the Agriculture Department. Meanwhile the department said that the normal rainfall during the monsoon as of Thursday was 324.5 mm but the state received only 200.6 mm. Accordingly Asifabad district received the highest rainfall with 341.1 mm, while Nalgonda recorded the lowest rainfall with 108.4 mm, where only five out of the 33 districts in the state recorded normal rainfall.
Furthermore Khammam district in the state witnessed 'scanty' rainfall of -60% to-99%. Meanwhile 27 other districts Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizambad, Karimnagar, Rajanna, Jagtial, Peddapally, Jayashanker, Bhadradri, Mahabubabad, Warangal (R), Warangal (U), Sangareddy, Jangoan, Medak, Siddipet, Yadadri, Medchal, hyderabad, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Jogulamba, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Mulugu recorded a deficit of -20% to -59%.
Usually cotton, paddy, red gram, maize and soya are the crops that are widely grown in Telangana. Moreover of these, farmers have sown paddy in 2,14,386 ha, a deficit of 12% when compared to last year; maize in 2,98,389 ha, a deficit of 13%; and red gram in 2,29,170 ha, which is a deficit of 2%. Hence due to the poor rainfall, the agriculture department has been advising farmers to avoid growing soya, maize and cotton in areas that are ‘rain critical’. They are also advocating that farmers opt for short-duration (90-120 days) and medium-duration (120-140 days) paddy crops.
