Even as the East Godavari district witnessed significant rainfall in the beginning of this monsoon season, paddy transplantation is at a snail’s pace with only 40 per cent of the farmers coming forward to commence the nursery works.
Kharif plays a significant role in paddy production in the district going by the statistics such as sowing area and the output. This year, however, farmers are lukewarm to undertake agriculture works. A good number of them from the Konaseema area – accounting for about 25,000 hectares of the total 2.3 lakh hectares to be cultivated in the district – are planning to observe crop holiday.
Against the nursery requirement of 11,500 hectares, works are in progress in 4,600 hectares and tilling works are going on in some pockets. The Konaseema farmers complain of non-completion of desilting works in the agriculture canals and that is why they are not able get their fields irrigated. Officials and local elected representatives are counselling them to undertake cultivation.
“The farmers are in neck-deep problems. Due to the improper implementation of the State government’s farm loan waiver scheme, the farmers are unable to get finance from the banks to meet the input costs. There is no control on spurious seed, fertilizer and pesticides that are changing the fate of the farmers overnight,” observes Duvva Seshu Babji, secretary of the CPI (M) district unit.
“There is a huge gap between the input costs and the minimum support price, which is affecting the farmers very badly. Not just the small and marginal peasants, but the farmers with considerable extent of lands too are unable to continue the farming in the prevailing situation,” says Kovvuri Trinadha Reddy, progressive farmer and general secretary of the State Farmers Water Management Committees Association. The Department of Agriculture, on its part, is campaigning at the grassroots level on the steps to be taken to reduce the input costs and getting better yield. “We are not encouraging farmers to go for the ‘Swarna’ variety, as we have better varieties in the market now. We are offering seeds at subsidised price and encouraging direct sowing in the upland mandals,” says K.S.V. Prasad, Joint Director of Agriculture. The officials are keen on ensuring 100 per cent transplantation in the district by the end of July so that crop cutting could commence from November. “As the district received good rainfall, the climate is conducive for the transplantation now. Works are in progress in many areas,” he says.
