Drought Affects Cotton Crop in Karimnagar; Production Likely to Drop by Up to 50%
Karimnagar: The growth of the cotton crop in Karimnagar district is being hampered by a lack of rainfall and persistent drought conditions. Farmers fear that if adequate rain does not fall within the next ten days, yields could plummet by as much as 50 percent.
Anticipating low rainfall due to the El Niño effect, the state government and the Agriculture Department had urged farmers to avoid paddy cultivation this season and instead opt for Irrigated Dry (ID) crops. However, despite these appeals, paddy was cultivated on a large scale. Farmers with access to water sources cultivated paddy, while others grew cotton and other ID crops. This year, cotton has been sown across approximately 46,000 acres in the district.
According to farmers, the lack of rain delayed cotton seed germination, and subsequent plant growth has also been stunted. Misala Lachaiah, a farmer from Vedira village in Ramadugu Mandal, stated that he sowed cotton in the second week of June, but germination did not occur until late July. He noted that under normal conditions, the plants' branches should have grown much longer by this stage. The stunted growth raises concerns that the number of flowers—and ultimately the yield—will be adversely affected.
An infestation of leafhoppers has also been observed in Lachaiah's two-acre crop.
Nugonda Mallesham, a farmer from Goliramayahpally, said that the next ten days are crucial for the crop.
Dr. N. Venkateshwar Rao, Head and Senior Scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Jammikunta, explained that plants are unable to absorb sufficient nutrients during drought conditions. Prolonged moisture stress can lead to reduced yields. Furthermore, weak plants are at a higher risk of pest attacks.
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