Despite the deficit rainfall during the pre-monsoon season this year, agriculture activities are going on in full swing in Raichur district. Across the vast rain-fed areas, farmers are preparing their fields for sowing by making use of the little precipitation that the district received in the recent past.
As per information provided by the district administration, Raichur district, a doab (land between two rivers) between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra, has set a sowing target of 5.41 lakh hectares against a total cultivable land of 6.02 lakh hectares.
Sindhanur taluk has the highest cultivable land with 1,10,377 hectares, followed by Raichur 94,875 hectares, Lingsugur 93,679 hectares, Maski 87,126 hectares, Manvi 82,422 hectares, Deodurg 78,528 hectares and Sirwar with 55,927 hectares.
The district, which is partially irrigated by the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC), has set a target of sowing paddy in 1,70,383 hectares, followed by cotton 1,53,096 hectares, as the district is known for black soil ideal for cotton cultivation.
Most of the paddy growing areas are spread over Sindhanur with 57,000 hectares, Deodurg 30,000 hectares, Maski 27,775 hectares, Manvi 24,500 hectares and Raichur with 15,590 hectares which are irrigated by the TLBC.
Deodurg taluk tops in the targeted cotton cultivation with 56,698 hectares followed by Raichur with 51,870 hectares, Manvi 21,248 hectares and Maski with 7,271 hectares.
Deputy Commissioner Chandrashekhar Naik has, in a statement, said that the district has enough stock of sowing seeds and fertilizers.
He said that stringent legal action will be taken against those who sell sowing seeds and fertilizers at inflated rates and also against those who sell spurious seeds and fertilizers.
