Amid the Covid-19 despair shadowing almost every section of the society, the farming community in Telangana appears to be undeterred in their zeal as they have given a kick-start to the Vaanakalam crop season by sowing seed in about 28% of the total extent planned so far.
Buoyed by the favourable seasonal conditions, the cultivation of major Vaanakalam crops is also on course with the regulated farming plans of the State government. As per the government plans, cotton is to be cultivated in nearly 48% (60.16 lakh acres) of the total extent of 125.45 lakh acres planned to be covered this season, followed by paddy in 33.3% (41.77 lakh acres), redgram in about 9.9% (12.31 lakh acres) and soyabean in nearly 4% (4.68 lakh acres).
The pattern of sowing of crops is indicating that the farming community is toeing the government line. As the government has advised farmers not to cultivate maize during the first crop season citing low productivity, pest attack threat and lack of market demand for the first crop, very few farmers have sown maize so far in about 0.16 lakh acres.
According to the statistical section officials of the Agriculture Department, sowing of cotton has been completed in about 44%, soyabean in over 53% and redgram in about 27% of the planned extent so far.
“In spite of the coronavirus pandemic impact and the delay in the disbursement of institutional credit, the Vaanakalam cultivation has made a swift progress, thanks to the early rains and availability of seed and fertilizer, although there have been some hiccups in seed supply, particularly that of soyabean,” the officials informed.
Against less than 3% of the sowing completed out of the total extent for the season as on June 25 last year, it has reached about 28% this year.
Sowing of Vaanakalam crops has already been completed in about 85% of the season’s extent in Adilabad district followed by over 50% in Kumram Bheem-Asifabad and Vikarabad and between 40% and 50% of the seasonal extent in Warangal Rural, Nirmal, Rajanna-Sircilla and Sangareddy districts.
