El Niño impact: Paddy area in Andhra’s Vizianagaram falls from 1 lakh hectares to 20,760
Farmers in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district are facing severe crop losses due to El Niño-induced rainfall deficits. Paddy cultivation has plummeted from over 100,000 hectares to roughly 20,000, leaving many tenant farmers in significant debt.
Why it matters
This highlights the devastating economic impact of climate-driven weather patterns on regional food security and the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.
Thousands of farmers in Vizianagaram district face heavy losses this kharif season, with rainfall falling about 45% short in June, July and August, the months that normally water their fields, amid El Niño conditions. Many spent around ₹9,500 an acre on seeds, fertilisers and labour at sowing time and are not sure of getting even that back. Tenant farmers are worse placed, as some of them also paid advances to landowners besides meeting the season’s costs.
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