Karimnagar cotton farmers await rains as dry spell hits crop
Cotton farmers in Karimnagar district are hoping northeast monsoon rains will revive their crop, which has begun wilting in some areas. About 46,000 acres are under cotton, the district's second-largest crop after paddy. Farmers said deficit rainfall attributed to El Nino from the start of Kharif delayed germination and stunted growth. The crop in red soils is in poorer condition than in black soils. Farmers fear yields could fall by around 50 per cent if dry conditions continue.