Farmers in Mahabubnagar district are struggling due to the lack of rain, which has severely affected crops such as cotton, maize, and jowar. The hot sunny days and fast evaporation of moisture from the soil have caused crops to dry up. One farmer, Bhimla Nayak, has already lost his 4 acres of cotton crop due to the absence of rain for the past 25-30 days. This has put him at risk of losing his investment of Rs. 1.5 lakh and falling into debt as he had taken loans from private lenders.
Another farmer, Venkatesh, is facing a similar situation with his 2 acres of jowar crop. He has already lost half of his crop and fears the rest will dry up without rain. He had spent Rs. 15,000 per acre to sow the jowar crop and now faces a debt burden of Rs. 2.5 lakh. This lack of rain is causing immense financial hardship for the farmers in Jadcherla and other mandals across the district.
The situation is not limited to Jadcherla, as all 15 mandals in the district are experiencing the same problems. In Kowkuntal mandal, more than 90% of farmers rely on rain-fed crops. Even paddy crops, which require high amounts of water, are at risk as bore wells are yielding very little water.
Desperate for a solution, farmers are turning to prayers for rain. Muslim farmers from Koukuntal and surrounding villages gathered at a Masjid to offer special prayers for good rains. They hope that the rain gods will save them from further losses and alleviate their financial burdens.
In conclusion, the lack of rain in Mahabubnagar district has caused significant damage to crops and put farmers in severe financial distress. The situation is dire, with farmers losing their investments and falling into debt. The need for rain is critical not only for the survival of crops but also for the livelihoods of these farmers.
