Delayed monsoon to reach Telangana, Andhra, parts of TN late in June

After a delayed onset in Karnataka, the southwest monsoon is expected to reach Telangana and the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu and Telangana later this month, after reaching southern Konkan and Goa by June 21.

An Indian Metrological Department (IMD) update published on June 18 said that conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into parts of the central Arabian sea, Karnataka, some parts of south Konkan and Goa, Andhra Pradesh and remaining parts of Tamil Nadu in the next three to four days.

Here’s a look at the progress of the monsoon in southern states:

Telangana

Following delayed monsoon and prediction of a deficit rainfall this month, the Telangana government issued an advisory, asking the farmers to postpone their sowing operations.

The southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Telangana on June 22 or 23. In 2018, the monsoon had hit the state on June 4.

Going by the forecasts, the rainfall in June is likely to be around 60 per cent lower than the average figures.

“However, we expect 60-70 per cent more rainfall in July and September,” said a spokesperson for the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU).

Also read: Last year flood in Cauvery, this year drought. Why complain?

The delayed monsoon has left the cotton farmers disappointed. The state grows cotton over an extent of 45 lakh acres, followed by paddy and maize.

For short-duration paddy varieties, farmers have time till July 31 to start sowing operations, while for medium term varieties, they can wait till July 10.

“They should wait till the fields are sufficiently wet for rain-fed crops such as cotton, soya, maize, jowar and pulses,” said the advisory issued by the state agriculture department.

It is estimated that the southern districts are likely to receive lower than the normal rainfall but the northern parts of the state are likely to receive copious rainfall in August. The reservoirs in the Krishna basin are expected to receive water much later than normal.

The farmers in Telangana are also advised not to grow maize on light soils. The scientists at the Agricultural University said ‘Fall ArmyWorm’ might attack the maize crop.

“We advise the farmers to be ready with pheromone traps and keep an eye on the worms and take necessary action to address the problem,” said an university official.

Regarding the cotton crop, the university authorities advised the farmers to opt for hybrid varieties that give big bolls in irrigated areas. In rain-fed areas, they have been advised to use seeds that give medium-size bolls.

With 24 out of 32 districts facing largely deficient rainfall, its impact is likely to be high on the cultivation of short duration pulses such as green gram and Bengal gram, and cash crops like soyabean, maize and cotton.

The delay in sowing of green gram and black gram would affect both the extent and yield of the two short duration pulses. The normal extent of the two crops in Kharif season is about 1.4 lakh hectares out of total food grains’ normal extent of about 19.5 lakh hectares.

According to officials, the average deficit of rainfall in the state as on June 15 is 53 per cent as the average rainfall recorded so far is 25.8 mm against the normal of 55 mm. The average rainfall for June is 129.9 mm.

Andhra Pradesh

The delayed monsoon has left the fields parched and farmers in Andhra Pradesh are worried as the state continues to reel under unrelenting heat, depleting groundwater level and fall in reservoir levels.

The rainfall deficit for the current month is at 64.4 per cent. The deficit in the coastal region comprising nine districts and known for its fertile land is 57 per cent and it is even higher in four districts in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.

Farmers growing maize, tur and cotton have been advised to delay the sowing of the crops till the third week of June. With no rains even in the second and third week of June, the sowing operations have gotten further delayed. Paddy and chilli farmers in south coastal Andhra were worried too. Last year too, they suffered losses due to lack of timely rains.

Of the 13 districts, only Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari and West Godavari are canal-irrigated. The rest of the state depends on rain-fed agriculture.

The conditions have badly hit the tenant farmers, whose numbers in the state are estimated to be around 16 lakh. Many of them have also complained about the delay in getting bank loans.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the heatwave conditions will prevail in the state over the next few days. With no respite in sight, the government has extended half-days in schools till June 22. The education department has asked school managements to strictly adhere to the half-day timings from 8 AM to 12.30 PM.

Tamil Nadu

In a recent bulletin, the IMD predicted severe heat wave condition in Chennai, Puducherry, Kancheepuram, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Tiruchy and Karur districts.

It has also predicted that there would be little rainfall in the western districts including Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Salem, and some southern districts including Theni, dindigul, Sivagangai, Pudukottai and Kanyakumari.

Also read: Chennai may receive rains after June 20, says TN weatherman

In the bulletin, the IMD has also asked farmers in the Cauvery delta to continue nursery-sowing of kuruvai season rice.

In the northwestern zone, the farmers were advised to undertake land preparation work for sowing groundnut. They were also advised to ensure treatment of groundnut seeds with psedudomonas bio-control agent before sowing to control rot disease during the early vegetative phase of groundnut crop.

Karnataka

The onset of Monsoon, though delayed, hit the Karnataka coast on June 14. However, it entered a prolonged lull phase sending worrying signals to farmers who were waiting to sow Kharif crops.

The state, however, had a 30 per cent deficit in its share of rainfall received from the southwest monsoon. The coastal areas, which receives rainfall first in the state, witnessed 47 per cent deficit rains between June 1 and June 17.

As drought hit the state before the arrival of the monsoon, farmers cultivating ragi and groundnut lost a cropping season due to lack of rain. Now, they worry that the paddy cultivation too will be affected.

Kerala

The southwest monsoon, which arrived in Kerala on June 8, is predicted to regain strength from June 19.

Experts’ forecast that the monsoons this time will be near-normal. According to the IMD, Kerala this year witnessed over 20 per cent deficit in rainfall.

Also read: 3 killed as rains lash Kerala on day 3 of monsoon

Waves up to three meters are likely to rise along the coast of Kerala on Tuesday (June 18). Fishermen are on alert as the winds along the coast can accelerate up to 45 kmph from the west.

Tourists have been warned to avoid passing by the shores due to turbulent waves.