Agriculture crops

Agriculture crops:

70% of the district is red land, 20% are clay lands and rest is alluvial lands. In the total extent of the district 52% of the land is being irrigated. As the lands on the southwest and southern part of the district are not convenient for irrigation, agriculture is not possible there. Main crops in the district are paddy, tobacco and cotton. Maize, Ragi, Chilly, Groundnut, Castor are some of the other crops. In 1988 darsi agricultural research center was established by the side of  darsi-kurichedu road which is at a distance of 3 k.m. from darsi town. This was affiliated to acharay ranga agricultural university, Hyderabad. In all 64 agricultural research centers of our state, researches are being only on certain crops. But in this research center researches are being done to give superior quality seeds for the cultivation of paddy, oil seeds, dry land crops, fruits and vegetables.

In 2005-06 financial year, the government targeted to issue loans to the agricultural groups raity mitra to an extent of rs. 131.00 crores of crop loans and rs 26.00 crores of long terms loans. But the government could not reach is targets; rs 91.91 crores worth crop loans and rs. 13.09 crores worth of long term loans were achieved.

In the district area of 17,14,000 hectares 26% is forests. Cultivated land is 5, 74,000 hectares. Out of which irrigated water facility is for 2,05,000 hectares only. Out of this 1,79,000 hectares is supplied irrigation water through nagarjuna sagar right bank canal. Main rivers are gundlakamma, Paleru, Musi, Munneru. Main crops are paddy., Cotton, Maize Sugarcane, Chilly, and Tobacco. This district which is prone to natural calamities like cyclones has seacoast of 102 k.m.

Efforts are being made from a long period of time to get Krishna water. Lack of velgonda project to this district is a big deficit. This project that forms with mingling of backward areas will be a boom to the district. On 5th march 1996, the then chief minister layed the foundation stone and the then leader of opposition planted seven plants around the stone. Other than that nothing has happened so far. As per the engineers estimation natural reservoir can be formed if the vacant between sumkesula, gottipadiya and kakarla hills is filled. But this notion has gone in vain. Through this project 9 mandals will be benefited. Up to 2004, an amount of rs.55 crores was spent in the name of salaries and researches. But the net expenditure to fill vacant area at sumkesula is only rs. 2.33 crores only. Due to lack of this Veligonda project, life styles in agricultural and social fields are having tough time.

As per statistics of October 2005. the precised values of works for pulichintala, veligonda and gundlakamma projects were rs. 1999 crores. Budget increased by rs. 250 crores. With rs. 300 crores, it was announced by the govt. Gundlakamma reservoir project will be completed by the end of December, 2006. 30 thousand acres of land will be benefited by these projects.

Non-commercial crops are being cultivated in 50-60% of the cultivated land. Cotton is the important crop among the commercial crops. In the production of cotton this district occupies 4th place. The average annual production of Virginia tobacco in the district is nearly 60 thousand tonnes. kammamauru canal, Thippayipalem project, Rallapadu, Mopadu nad Kanigiri reservoirs play an important role in irrigation.

During the year 2005-06, farmers tend towards the cultivation of papaya. As the profits are more than expected, farmers started cultivation in additional gardens.

Seri culture:

This industry was started in 1979 in two acres of land at gangammapalli village in giddaluru mandal. Presently, Mulberry gardens are developed in four thousand acres of land all over the district. Government offices are extending the technical  support in the areas of Talluru, Podili, Kangiri, Markapuram, Dornala and Giddaluru. Centers for developing eggs of silk worms are established at Giddaluru, Markapur and Chimakuthi.

Blue revolution:

Six thousand hectares of the coastal area is suitable for prawn-culture. At present, 2,500 hectares of land is used in prawn-culture. It was started in 1993 and, now, expanded to the mandals of Ongole, Kothapatnam, Vetapalem, Gudur, Vulavapadu, tanguturu, Chinaganjam, villages, cultivation of vegetables was badly effected and the lands became non fertile.