Farmers in Yadgir district have sown crops in 53.85% of the targeted 4,01,638 hectares of land for the kharif season 2023-24.
Due to the delay in monsoon in June, farmers could not bring fields under sowing as much as it was expected. But they started a sowing briskly once it began to rain this month.
According to information provided by the Agriculture Department, sowing has been completed in 2,16,296 hectares (53.85%) against 4,01,638 hectares set as target this year.
The taluk-wise details are as follows: the target for Shahapur taluk was 73,267 hectares, of which 37,996 hectares has been covered. It was 54,556 hectares for Wadagera taluk, of which 35,564 hectares has been covered, 91,861 hectares was the target for Shorapur taluk, of which 29,015 hectares has been covered, 63,507 hectares was targeted in Hunsagi taluk, of which 17,191 hectares has come under sowing, 69,172 hectares was the target for Yadgir taluk, of which 49,840 hectares has been taken up for sowing and it was 49,275 hectares for Gurmitkal taluk, of which 36,690 hectares has been brought under crops.
Green gram, red gram and cotton are the three major crops for the kharif season in the district. But, due to shortfall in rain in June, sowing of green gram which is considered as a short-term cash crop was hit with just 6,795 hectares coming under cultivation against a target of 18,694 hectares.
Cotton has been sown in 1,32,950 hectares against the targeted 1,86,297 hectares and red gram in 73,229 hectares against the targeted 82,750 hectares.
The district received a good spell of rain during the second week of this month. It has recorded 224 mm rainfall against an average 200 mm for the period, July 1 to July 26. And, it is 103.7 mm against an average of 33.9 mm for the last week and 13.1 mm against an average of 4.9 mm for the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, farmers are waiting for some respite in an incessant rainfall which the district has been witnessing for the last couple of days as they have to remove weed grown between crops, which may help them get good yield.
