Chittoor district faces fodder crisis as El Niño conditions intensify
Chittoor district is experiencing a severe fodder crisis due to a 62% rainfall deficit since March, threatening the region's dairy industry. Authorities are developing contingency plans to support livestock as grazing lands turn barren.
Why it matters
The crisis directly impacts the livelihoods of dairy farmers and the milk production capacity of a key agricultural district.
With a prolonged dry spell since March of this year, Chittoor district, which holds the top position in the dairy sector in the State, is reeling under a severe fodder crisis. The prevailing distress has prompted the authorities to contemplate an extensive contingency plan to protect livestock and support farmers through the 2026-27 agricultural season.
The district has recorded a severe rainfall deficit during the March–July 2026 period. From June 1 to July 28, the district received 66.8 mm of rainfall as against the normal 175.7 mm, a 62% deficit. This led to depleted groundwater reserves and the drying up of tanks, ponds, and irrigation channels across the district. The cultivation of groundnut, paddy, maize, sorghum, millets and pulses is also hit due to insufficient irrigation facilities.
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