With the monsoon season coming to a close for the current Kharif season, a section of land near Palamaner in Chittoor district remains uncultivated.
| Photo Credit: Arrangement
Farmers in Chittoor have been badly hit this Kharif season, not just by inadequate rainfall but also by erratic weather patterns that have failed to meet crop requirements at critical growth stages. Prolonged dry spells since March and an erratic southwest monsoon have reportedly left the usually rain-fed farmlands face the risk of a poor harvest as the Kharif season nears its end in the next couple of months.According to officials, nearly 70% of Chittoor’s agricultural land is traditionally rain-fed, while only 38% of its net sown area relies on irrigation during the Kharif season. The district has a net sown area of about 3.62 lakh hectares and a gross cropped area of 4.20 lakh hectares, according to the NABARD figures.Groundnut, the district’s king crop, has reportedly become vulnerable due to the vagaries of nature. Its cultivation and productivity depend heavily on the prospects of the southwest monsoon. In 2020-21, the groundnut crop was spread over 76,624 hectares, producing 83,137 tonnes, with an average productivity of 1,085 kg per hectare.Meanwhile, in the present Kharif, crops were sown across 62,223 hectares in Chittoor by June 17, placing the district among the larger sowing districts in the State despite the threat of El Nino conditions.The normal annual rainfall in Chittoor district is reportedly 934 mm, with half of the rainfall occurring during the southwest monsoon and the rest during the northeast monsoon. On the other hand, the geographical distribution of rainfall adds another complication — the western and central mandals heavily depend on the southwest monsoon, while eastern areas receive comparatively greater rainfall from the northeast monsoon.The officials maintain that Chittoor has a history of fluctuating rainfall data over the last decade. The rainfall was 491 mm in 2014, but it was excessive at 1,434 mm in 2021, reflecting the extraordinary volatility in crop management faced by the farmers.Additionally, the ongoing El Niño conditions have intensified farmers’ dilemma, raising concerns about monsoon performance. “In Chittoor, two-thirds of agriculture depends on rainfall conditions, leaving farmers with little control. Weather conditions alone command the balance sheet,” said a field officer in Chittoor. Published - August 31, 2026 08:03 pm IST
