Kharif Sowing Steady in Andhra Despite Heavy Rains
24-Jul-2025 08:12 PM
Vijayawada. In many districts of Andhra Pradesh, an important agricultural producer state of South India, severe drought has been created due to less or very less monsoon rains this time, but despite this, sowing of Kharif crops has been almost equal to last year.
According to the data released by the State Agriculture Department, this time in Andhra Pradesh, till 23 July, the total production area of Kharif crops reached 10.04 lakh hectares, which is 21 thousand hectares less than the sowing area of 10.25 lakh hectares during the same period last year. The Meteorological Department has expressed the possibility of heavy rains in coastal Andhra Pradesh, due to which the pace of sowing may increase somewhat.
According to official figures, compared to last year, this time in Andhra Pradesh, paddy production area increased from 4.49 lakh hectares to 4.68 lakh hectares and coarse cereals sowing area improved from 91 thousand hectares to 99 thousand hectares, but the area of pulses crops fell from 95 thousand hectares to 81 thousand hectares and the area of oilseeds crops got stuck at 1.05 lakh hectares from 2.91 lakh hectares.
Among pulses crops, the production area of Arhar (Tuvar) decreased from 80 thousand hectares to 68 thousand hectares, while moong and urad have been cultivated in a limited area and their area is almost equal to last year.
As far as oilseed crops are concerned, the production area of groundnut has decreased from 1.64 lakh hectares last year to 81 thousand hectares, while sesame, castor and soymeal have been sown in a limited area. The area under castor has come down from 17 thousand hectares last year to 12 thousand hectares this time.
Among coarse cereals, the area under millet has come down from 14 thousand hectares to 13 thousand hectares but the area under maize has increased from 65 thousand hectares to 75 thousand hectares.
The area under sugarcane is lagging behind last year but the area under rice has increased from 1.86 lakh hectares to 2.42 lakh hectares. Most of the districts of Andhra Pradesh are in dire need of immediate heavy rains.