General information of the thirty three (33) western mandals of

Chittoor district  (operational area of kvk, kalikiri) chittoor district

MANDALS COVERED

The operational area of KVK, Kalikiri is completely different from the eastern mandals with respect to topography, soil type and climatic conditions. The major farming conditions of the district in general and in particular to western mandals of Chittoor district are given below.

1. The agricultural lands are highly uneven and soils are poor in nutritional status coupled with very low soil depth and gravel in sub soil.
2. The weather conditions are quite different from eastern mandals as the minimum and maximum temperature touches to 10⁰C and 43⁰C respectively. 
3. Very deep water table (we have to go up to the depth of 600 feet even up to 1000 feet in some areas due to erratic and deficit rainfall particularly in western mandals of Chittoor district. Due to abundant rainfall during November and December 2015, the ground water table which was 34.01m during May 2015 rised to 14.28 during November 2015 and during May 2016 it is 18.03 metres.   
4. Majority of the area is under rainfed farming with monocropping of groundnut in an area of more than one lakh hectares
5. Tomato is the major vegetable crop grown in all the seasons intensively.
6. 6)Rice is grown majorly for family consumption in small farm holdings,. But due to receipt of sufficient rainfall during , the area under Rice is doubled to normal area.
7. Sugarcane is grown in some of the pockets both for jaggery and for sugar factories
8. Under millets Ragi, Jowar, and bajra are also under cultivation in limited areas.
9. Mango is the major fruit crop grown in the area.
10. Floriculture is another important area in some of the pockets (Chrysanthemum, Marigold etc...)
11. Overall, the socio-economic condition of the farming community of the area is low to very low, majorly with small and marginal farmers. Only 5 to 10 percent farmers are taking up agriculture on commercial basis.