The Krishna Delta’s kharif irrigation system requires a region-specific approach rather than a blanket shift away from paddy, says YSRCP leader M.V.S. Nagi Reddy.
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YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and former Vice-Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Mission M.V.S. Nagi Reddy on Thursday urged the State government to declare drought-hit or crop-holiday mandals in the Krishna Delta and extend compensation to farmers facing severe water shortages this kharif season.In a representation to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. Nagi Reddy, while citing the to APWRIMS data, said the Krishna Delta registered a rainfall deficit of around 49 per cent, against a State-wide deficit of 51.5 per cent.Farmers are being advised to avoid paddy cultivation and take up alternative or Arutadi crops in the absence of adequate water availability. However, such a shift is not feasible across the delta, where nearly 98 per cent of the kharif crop acreage is traditionally under paddy cultuivation, he said.The Krishna Delta’s irrigated kharif system, he said, required a region-specific approach rather than a blanket shift away from paddy.The delta’s heavy clay and alluvial soils, high water-retention capacity and poor drainage in several areas made crops such as blackgram, greengram and groundnut vulnerable to waterlogging, poor germination and root damage during the monsoon season, he said.Mr. Nagi Reddy said that farmers were caught in a difficult situation as they were being discouraged from cultivating paddy while the suggested alternative crops were not suitable or economically viable for many areas. This could force farmers to leave their lands fallow and suffer substantial losses, he added.He urged the Agriculture Department to declare the drought-hit mandals or areas hit by crop holiday and provide compensation under applicable norms. He also sought input subsidies and free crop insurance, with the government bearing the applicable premium for eligible farmers.He appealed to authorities not to make compensation conditional on farmers taking up alternative crops where such cultivation was agronomically unsuitable.Mr. Nagi Reddy sought a clear, time-bound water release schedule for the Krishna Delta.Pointing out that around 6,000 cusecs of water is currently being supplied, he requested that it be increased to around 10,000 cusecs wherever feasible, enabling farmers to undertake delayed kharif paddy transplantation.He clarified that farmers were not opposed to crop diversification, but it should be promoted, keeping local soil, drainage, irrigation, rainfall and market conditions in view. Published - August 27, 2026 08:08 pm IST
