The agriculture production and yield has considerably increased in the State.
The total production of foodgrains increased to 180.54 lakh metric tonnes in 2019-20 from 149.5 lakh MT in 2018-19. The average five-year production during 2014-2018 stands at 159.3 lakh MT. The achievement is despite the fact that there is no increase in the extent of the land cultivated.
According to information, the production of paddy and coarse cereals increased to 168.67 lakh metric tonnes in 2019-20 from 142.16 lakh metric tonnes in 2018-19. Similarly, the total oilseeds production increased to 9 lakh MT in 2019-20 from 5.05 lakh MT in 2018-19.
Productivity and yield generally depend on availability of water and irrigation facilities, suitable rainfall and climatic conditions, etc.
The copious rains along with recharged groundwater and availability of irrigated water have created a conducive atmosphere for the agriculture production. Also, the farmers in north coastal Andhra have changed their agriculture practices to tide over the water scarcity/scanty rains problem in the recent past.
13% increase
Direct sowing is one such practice. The sunshine hours were considerably good last year compared to previous years. It led to increase in the production and yield, sources say.
When contacted, Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Mission vice-chairman M.V.S. Nagi Reddy says that the total foodgrain production of 15 different crops increased from 106.51 lakh tonnes in 2018-19 to 120.43 lakh tonnes in 2019-20, a total increase of 13% during kharif. The production and yield increased for various factors. Mainly, it was due to the Rythu Bharosa scheme, which helped the farmers in getting investments at the right time, availability of fertilizers and seeds, and copious rains. The total area sown in the State is 22.20 lakh hectares (59%) as against the normal area of 37.42 lakh hectare and normal as on date is 21.05 lakh hectares (105%), he says.
Mr. Nagi Reddy says that increase in production will be useful to the government. But, increase in the yield helps the farmers. The paddy yield increased to 5,846 kgs per hectare in 2019-20 from 5,593 kgs per hectare in 2018-19.
The production of pulses also increased to 939 kg per hectare in 2019-20 from 558 kgs per hectare in 2018-19, he explains.
