Bheema project increases farming area in Wanaparthy

Wanaparthy: The success story of Wanaparthy district extends to Weepanagandla mandal which gets water from Bheema project. Groundnut cultivation has increased by 331 acres (684 acres above normal area) and paddy cultivation by 753 acres (2,054 acres above normal area).

In Chinnambavi mandal which is being irrigated by Bheema project, paddy cultivation has increased by 300 acres, which is 640 acres above normal area. In this mandal, cultivation of black gram has increased by 976 acres when compared to last Rabi.

However, in some mandals millets have been completely wiped-out. For example, in Pangal, horse gram and black gram cultivation has been stopped. In Weepanagandla, black gram cultivation has drastically come down by 1,035 acres, Jowar, Bengal gram and traces of horse gram have been wiped-out (at least this Rabi). Farmers have stopped cultivating Red gram and Jowar in Chinnambavi.

Observers feel that increase in water availability has made farmers to go even further far away from traditional crops like millets, which had already come down. They feel that the agriculture department should encourage farmer to go for millets, so that the biodiversity of Palamuru region can be preserved.

“We have actually met farmers who want to go for a third crop this summer. This change, which would depend on water availability in summer season, is still a great change we have observed in farmers who are showing increasing enthusiasm in the work they do the best,” commented T Sujatha, District Agricultural Officer, Wanaparthy, speaking with Telangana Today.

The shortfall in area cultivated under the ayacut of Jurala project has been balanced by a considerable increase in paddy and groundnut cultivation under the ayacut of Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme and Bheema project in Wanaparthy district for Rabi 2017-18.

In mandals irrigated by Jurala project like Amarachinta, Madnapur, Kothakota, Atmakur, Pebbair and Srirangapur, paddy and groundnut cultivation has gone down when compared to Rabi 2016-17.

In Madanapur, total cultivated area (area sown) has gone down by 2646 acres. In Atmakur it has gone down by 2,295 acres as against normal cultivable area. Cultivation of paddy itself has come down by 1,000 acres, in addition to 971 acre decrease in groundnut cultivation.

In Pebbair total cultivated area has been just about normal, but has taken a dive from last Rabi’s 13,475 acres to 9,822 acres (a 3,653 acre plunge). In Srirangapur mandal where there is both Jurala and Bheema irrigation facility, groundnut cultivation has been below normal levels but above last Rabi’s area cultivated. Cultivation of paddy has come down drastically by 855 acres, as compared to last Rabi’s.

However, an increase of sugarcane cultivation by 1,453 acres in Amarachinta could be seen as compared to last year’s. In Pebbair, farmers this Rabi, were seen going for alternative crops like green gram, black gram and cow gram. But farmers have completely avoided Bengal gram.