A severe rice crisis seems to be looming large over Telangana this Kharif season, owing to the prolonged dry spell, wherein farmers could sow paddy in only 2.5 lakh acres as against the every year’s estimated acreage of 25 lakh during the season. Telangana produces about 33 lakh tonnes of rice annually.
However due to this year's conditions this is
expected to drop marginally below
5 lakh tonnes. Sources say that such a severe shortfall might be forcing
government to even import huge quantities of
rice from other regions of the country to meet the demand. In case the
monsoon brings any good rainfall in the next five days, Kharif season
may be sustained in 2015.
Kharif season is expected to turn out to be a bad season
As paddy is a water intensive crop, the yield will be severely affected and this Kharif season is expected to turn out to be a bad season, The prolonged drought and the total failure of the Kharif is reportedly triggering massive migration of the agricultural workforce already from the state.
Already 13.5 lakh people have reportedly migrated to other states in search of livelihood, since according to official figures, Telangana has received a deficit rainfall of minus 21 per cent so far during this monsoon. With the prices of Rice prices is also expected to go up in the coming months!
