Sowings expected to be normal in Kharif in Telangana

Officials in the Telangana Agriculture department are hopeful that sowings of different crops, which began during June, would be normal this Kharif season with a normal monsoon forecast for the state this year.

"A normal monsoon is the clear forecast (this year). So, we feel normal area would be achieved. Sowings would continue during whole of July," State Principal Secretary (Agriculture) C Parthasarathi told PTI.

The state has received 145.9 mm of rainfall as on June 29 against the normal rainfall (as on June 29) of 124.4 mm, according to official data.

Adilabad district received highest rainfall of 244.7 mm, while Jogulamba Gadwal district received lowest rainfall of 70.3 mm.

As on June 29, the actual area sown of all crops was 10,92,392 hectares against normal area of 43,29,057 hectares.

After a brief lull, the state is receiving rains at present and the sowings would jump during the next two weeks, Parthasarathi said.

The rainfall during August and September would further affect the Kharif season, he said.

Sowing was over in about eight lakh hectares in cotton and upto 50 per cent in redgram, he said.