Sowing for the kharif season has been completed on just 43.8% of the targeted area Agricultural activities in the district have been severely hit by the deficiency of rain this year with sowing for the kharif season completed in just 43.8% of the total targeted area. The district has received 951.6 mm of rainfall from January 1 to July 25 this year against an average of of 1,248.2 mm during this period. The total deficiency of rain is at 24%. The average rain from July 1 to July 25 is at 651.2 mm against which the actual rain received this year is at 457.4 mm. The deficiency of rain in July is at 30%. It may be mentioned here that the district was in the grip of drought in 2015 and 2016. In wake of the sluggish progress of monsoon this year so far, farmers are staring at third consecutive drought. The Department of Agriculture had set target to undertake sowing in an area of 1.69 lakh hectare land in the district this year for kharif season that includes paddy in an area of 1.07 lakh hectare, maize in an area of 55,000 hectare while it was planned to cultivate millets, pulses, cotton and oil seeds in remaining 7,000 hectare land. So far, cultivation has been takenup in mere 74,055 hectare land that includes maize in 57,044 hectare land and paddy in 16,022 hectare.