The kharif season may be delayed in several paddy-producing areas in Andhra Pradesh due to an erratic and uneven monsoon.
Despite an excellent rainfall this year, parts of southern India are facing deficient rains.
There has been a deficient monsoon in most of southern India with aggregate recorded rainfall till July 25 being below the long period average (LPA) levels in Karnataka, AP, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
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Rainfall has been deficient (20 per cent below LPA) in Tamil Nadu, north and south interior Karnataka and coastal AP and scanty in Rayalaseema, where the shortfall is exceeding 60 per cent.
Even in Telengana region, the overall precipitation has been nearly 15 per cent below LPA.
In order to save time and cost in paddy plantation, the AP agriculture department is likely to ask farmers to take up direct plantation of the crop instead of raising nurseries and going for transplantation later.
In view of the prolonged dry spell in many parts of the coastal districts and Rayalaseema, farmers should try direct plantation of paddy, they say.
The season would, therefore, be advanced by at least a fortnight due to such practices, sources add.