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Worry lines on farmers’ faces are increasing in the Godavari districts with the rains playing truant so far. By end of June, only 71 mm rainfall has been recorded, as against a June average of 120 mm.Paddy transplantation has been taken up in only 1,600 hectares so far, as against of 3,300 hectares last year at this point in time. with rains not coming, water release into the canals has been delayed and the transplantation season has not really taken off.Because of this delay, there is likelihood that only 2 lakh hectares will be sown this kharif season as against 2.40 lakh hectares normally. Another reason for the likely lower acreage is the crop holiday proposed by farmers in the Konaseema area.Though there is time up to July 15 for the alarm bells to ring, farmers are beginning to wonder if this is going to be a bad year. No farming work has started in the central delta due to crop holiday declared by farmers there. In the eastern delta, work has begun only in disparate places. Farmers in the upland areas are more distressed because they do not have much ground water to fall back on.For farmers who incurred huge losses due to unseasonal rains last year, this kharif is crucial for recovery.In addition to the lack of rain, they also have to cotend with the shortage of 49,000 metric tonnes of paddy seed this season.
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