Rain deficit hits Telangana farmers hard, 11 mandals down 60% | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: A drop of rain is no longer just a drop in parts of Telangana — it is a precious commodity that farmers are desperately waiting for. As fields dry and seeds fail to germinate, Waddepalle in Jogulamba Gadwal and Kethepalle in Nalgonda have emerged as the state’s worst-hit mandals, recording rainfall deficits of 73% and 71%, respectively, during June 1-Sept 1. Nine other mandals too received 60% or more less rain than normal during the period..For Kethepalle, this year’s dry spell is particularly stark. In Sept 2024, Kethepalle received 168 mm of rain in 24 hours during a depression-induced heavy-rain spell. This year, it has received only 124.9 mm against its normal 431.5 mm during June 1-Sept 1.Kethepalle is predominantly a cotton-growing area, though farmers have also taken up paddy this season in pockets with irrigation support. The mandal has access to some irrigation facilities, including areas at the tail-end of the Musi, providing farmers some cushion despite poor rainfall.Officials said Kethepalle had not reached a drought-like situation so far, pointing to paddy yields in the previous season and earlier years. However, they said prolonged dry conditions from now could become a concern if rainfall remains poor.With much of the farming dependent on rain, officials said free seeds had been distributed to farmers under the Centre’s Kapas Kranti Mission. They are also planning to collect feedback from farmers village by village to assess crop conditions and determine what measures may be needed next.In Waddepalle, farmers are already paying a price for every rainless day. Seeds sown in fields have dried up, forcing some farmers to sow chilli and cotton three to four times in the hope that a subsequent spell of rain will help the crops take root.Drip irrigation, normally used to improve crop yields and conserve water, is now being used simply to help seeds germinate and keep standing crops alive, farmers said. Repeated sowing, seeds and drip irrigation have already added ₹30,000 to ₹50,000 an acre to their investment, they said.The situation is particularly difficult for tenant farmers, who have to bear cultivation costs without owning the land. Farmers in Manopad, Itikyala, Alampur and Waddepalle said dry conditions had persisted for weeks, leaving them dependent on every available source of water.The two mandals are part of a wider pocket of severe rainfall deficiency. Atmakur in Hanamkonda recorded a 64% deficit while Atmakur in Wanaparthy recorded 63%. Palakurthi and Raghunathpalli in Jangaon, Peddakothapalle in Nagarkurnool and Yerrupalem in Khammam recorded 61% deficits each. Palakeedu in Suryapet, Narsampet in Warangal and Yerravalli in Jogulamba Gadwal recorded 60% deficits.The eventual impact on yields, however, will depend on crop stage, soil moisture, irrigation availability and whether rainfall revives in Sept.The rainfall deterioration also comes against the backdrop of El Niño. The IMD has said El Niño generally weakens the Indian summer monsoon and that its inverse relationship with rainfall is stronger during the latter part of the monsoon, particularly in September. The IMD had also forecast below-normal 2026 southwest monsoon rainfall at 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA).However, the 73% and 71% deficits in individual mandals cannot be attributed to El Niño alone. Local weather systems, distribution of rainfall and intra-seasonal variations also influence rainfall at mandal-level.For Telangana, the immediate question is whether Sept can bring enough widespread rainfall to replenish soil moisture and ease pressure on rain-fed agriculture. IMD’s latest extended-range outlook has indicated subdued rainfall activity over peninsular India in the near term.
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