Dry spell leaves Chittoor farmers staring at crop loss
Farmers in Chittoor district are facing severe crop losses due to a 64.5% rainfall deficit between June and August. The lack of water has stunted crop growth and forced many farmers to abandon cultivation plans.
Why it matters
The water crisis threatens the livelihoods of local farmers and highlights the increasing vulnerability of agriculture to climate-driven rainfall variability.
Farmers in the tail-end areas of Chittoor district are facing a deepening water crisis as a prolonged dry spell, following a rainfall deficit since March, has left fields moisture-stressed and borewells under pressure, raising concerns over the kharif crop.
The district received only 3,033.4 mm of rain between June and August, against the normal 8,543.1 mm, resulting in a deficit of 64.5%. With the crucial kharif season nearing its end, farmers see little possibility of a significant recovery.
June brought some relief, with 1,476.4 mm of rainfall against the normal 2,228.3 mm, a deficit of 33.7%. However, rainfall declined sharply in July, when the district received just 414.8 mm against the normal 2,863.2 mm, resulting in a deficit of 85.5%. The deficit stood at 66.9% in August, further weakening hopes of a healthy crop season.
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