Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Wednesday (August 26, 2026) said the Andhra Pradesh government had taken advance measures to protect kharif cultivation from the impact of severe rainfall deficit and El Niño conditions , claiming that its alternative cropping strategy had helped sustain agricultural activity across the State.
The Minister said Andhra Pradesh received only 192.8 mm of rainfall between the first week of June and August 25, against the normal 393.7 mm, recording a deficit of 51%. Despite the adverse conditions, kharif crops had been raised in 20.35 lakh hectares, he said.
District-wise drought mitigation and contingency plans were drawn up, particularly for Rayalaseema, Prakasam and Markapuram regions, with emphasis on promoting crops requiring less water.
The Minister said the government had begun preparing for a possible El Niño impact as early as February after receiving alerts from the Centre. He said the State had been implementing the “Raithanna Meekosam – El Niño Impact Mitigation Plan – Kharif 2026” programme across Andhra Pradesh since August 7. “The coalition government’s objective is to ensure crop insurance protection and financial security for farmers’ families, particularly during adverse weather conditions,” the Minister said.
