Hyderabad : Despite the increase in agricultural activities in Telangana for the current Kharif 2024 season, farmers are proceeding with caution due to deficient rains in 11 districts this month. Adilabad, Komuram-Bheem Asifabad, Nizamabad, Nirmal, Kamareddy, Peddapalli, Jagtial, Rajanna-Sircilla, Mulugu, Bhupalapally, and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts in Telangana are experiencing below-average rainfall, with Mancherial having a significant deficit in rainfall so far this season.
Jogulamba Gadwal district has experienced a significant amount of rainfall this season, with 153.5 mm recorded as of Wednesday, June 19, which is a considerable increase from the 25.8 mm rainfall recorded on the same date last year. It remains well above the usual 44.6 mm of rainfall for this time of year.
On average, this year's June rainfall has been an improvement from last year's southwest monsoons in June. From June 1-19, there was 85.3 mm of rainfall, compared to 15.7 mm of rainfall during the same period last year. The current estimate for expected rainfall is 78.5 mm. Data from the Telangana Agriculture department shows a 8.7% deviation from usual rainfall as of Wednesday.
Nevertheless, the state currently has less water available compared to previous levels. On Wednesday, the total water storage in Telangana's main reservoirs is 223.53 TMC, compared to 370.02 TMC on the same day last year.
Farmers in Telangana are also engaging in planting rainfed crops such as jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, pulses, groundnut, soybean, cotton etc., while paddy is cultivated using guaranteed irrigation sources.
While paddy cultivation is currently at a nursery stage with limited sowing, farmers in Telangana are increasingly opting for cotton farming.