Amid reports that recent heavy rains had damaged kharif (first) crops in 15,000 hectare, the Guntur district officials have geared up to target 230,000 hectare for growing rabi (second) crops in 2008-09 financial year, as against the normal crop area of 2,24,025 hectare.
The officials are depending on maize and blackgram. While maize would be raised in 35,000 hectare as against the normal crop area of 17,824 hectare, blackgram has been fixed in 1,20,000 hectare (normal crop area 1,12,602 hectare), according to I Ramakrishna Murthy, joint director, Agriculture.
The area under paddy has been slashed to 6,000 hectare from the usual 21,217 hectare as part of a plan to boost cash crops.
Crop areas that would go up include Bengalgram in 12,000 hectare as against the normal area of 7,973 hectare, redgram from 799 hectare to 1,000 hectare, chillis from 389 hectare to 500 hectare, and that of tobacco from 2,286 hectare to 3,000 hectare.
Crop areas that are expected to decrease are jowar from 2,064 to 2,000 hectare, greengram from 9,020 hectare to 3,000 hectare, groundnut from 5,297 hectare to 5,000 hectare, sesamum from 524 hectare to 500 hectare, sunflower from 156 hectare to 100 hectare, rape and mustard from 1,293 hectare to 800 hectare, and fruits and vegetables from 42,530 hectare to 41,100 hectare. Bazra has not so far found growers.
According to officials, farmers are nurturing kharif crops in 564,932 hectare as against the normal crop area of 577,920 hectare.