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Informist, Thursday, Jul. 3, 2025

 

By J. Navya Sruthi and Shreya Shetty

 

MUMBAI – Though rainfall over Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has been deficient in the monsoon season so far, it is likely to improve and be above normal in July, officials and experts said. Sowing of kharif crops in both states, which has taken a hit due to lower-than-average rainfall, is likely to improve as well, they said.

 

The sowing of kharif crops in Andhra Pradesh has covered 297,000 hectares as of Wednesday, down nearly 3% on year from 305,000 hectares sown in the same period last year, according to the weekly sowing report released by the state agriculture department. In Telangana, kharif acreage reached 4.3 million acres (1 acre = 0.4 hectares) as of Wednesday, down over 7% on year from 4.7 million acres sown a year ago.

 

Since Jun. 1, coastal Andhra Pradesh has received 113.4 millimetres of rainfall, 7?low the normal of 117.6 millimetres, according to data from the India Meteorological Department. Rayalaseema has received 54.3 millimetres of rainfall, 30?low normal for the same period. Rainfall in Telangana is 6?low normal at 137.3 millimetres, the data showed.

 

Telangana is likely to see normal to above-normal rainfall in July, a senior official from the weather department's regional meteorological centre, Hyderabad, said. For the next 4–5 days, there will be no new weather system forming over the Bay of Bengal and it is unlikely for any heavy rainfall in the state, he said. However, the monsoon trough which is currently over northern India and oscillates south to north may tilt southwards and cause rainfall over the state, he said.

 

In its monthly outlook for July, the weather department forecast normal to above normal rainfall over Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Monthly average rainfall over the country as a whole in July is most likely to be above normal, exceeding 106% of the long-period average, the weather bureau said. 

 

"Some regions in Andhra Pradesh have been severely affected by deficient rainfall, but most other (regions) are seeing a normal progression in kharif sowing," said Satish Upadhyay, secretary, India Pulses and Grains Association. "Sowing will definitely be delayed in some districts but the overall kharif acreage is likely to be sufficient. I see acreage improving in the state," he added.

 

Kharif sowing is delayed in the interior of Andhra Pradesh, while it is on a par with last year's sowing in coastal Andhra Pradesh, a state government official said. The monsoon has hit the state early before usual and rainfall is also predicted to be above-normal this year. So the sowing is likely to progress in coming days, he added.

 

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana received above normal showers in the pre-monsoon season (Mar-May). Rainfall in coastal Andhra Pradesh was 97?ove average at 189.5 millimetres, while Rayalaseema recorded 161.5 millimetres of rainfall, a sharp 103?ove normal, data from the weather department showed. Rainfall in Telangana was a whopping 168?ove normal at 171.2 millimetres.

 

The pre-monsoon showers have also helped replenish water reservoirs in both the states. As of Wednesday, the water levels in all the major reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh stood at 473.69 thousand million cubic metres, up sharply from 184.56 thousand million cubic metres in the same period last year, according to data from the state agriculture department. The water level in reservoirs across Telangana was 467.05 thousand million cubic metres, as of Wednesday, compared with 230.59 thousand million cubic metres a year ago.

 

"The sowing season has just started," Upadhyay said, "And the sowing window will be open at least till the end of August. So, there is plenty of room for sowing progress to improve."  End

 

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

 

 

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