Chittoor district faces fodder crisis as El Niño conditions intensify
With a prolonged dry spell since March of this year, Chittoor district, which holds the top position in the dairy sector in the State, is
With a prolonged dry spell since March of this year, Chittoor district, which holds the top position in the dairy sector in the State, is reeling under a severe fodder crisis. The prevailing distress has prompted the authorities to contemplate an extensive contingency plan to protect livestock and support farmers through the 2026-27 agricultural season. The district has recorded a severe rainfall deficit during the March–July 2026 period. From June 1 to July 28, the district received 66.8 mm of rainfall as against the normal 175.7 mm, a 62% deficit. This led to depleted groundwater reserves and the drying up of tanks, ponds, and irrigation channels across the district.
The cultivation of groundnut, paddy, maize, sorghum, millets and pulses is also hit due to insufficient irrigation facilities. The sudden dip in crop acreage has directly led to a slump in the availability of crop residues, which are an important source of livestock feed. From June onwards, the grazing lands began to turn barren in several parts of the district. At a time when the district administration has set a vision to increase milk production to 40 lakh litres per day, fodder scarcity has emerged as a major concern for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats, jeopardising the income of dairy farmers and milk production as well.
As per the statistics from the Animal Husbandry Department, Chittoor district has a livestock population of 5.05 lakh. The estimated fodder requirement between July and September stands at 2.32 lakh metric tonnes. Although officials have reportedly projected the mobilisation of fodder from various sources during the period before the northeast monsoon, availability remains uneven across mandals. According to sources, Nagari, Nindra, Vijayapuram, Gudipala, Bangarupalem, Gangavaram, and Pulicherla are expected to face fodder shortages. In contrast, the mandals in Kuppam, Palamaner, and Gangadhara Nellore Assembly constituencies are projected to have surplus stocks. The officials constituted a plan to transport fodder from surplus regions to deficit areas.
The strategy would be subsidised distribution of quality fodder seeds, promotion of short-duration fodder crops such as sorghum, maize and Napier grass, establishment of village-level fodder banks, scientific silage preparation and large-scale distribution of chaff cutters. Apart from giving a boost to fodder development programmes, special shelters would be planned for the livestock. With the El Niño conditions getting stronger, the action plan would also include the opening of special cattle camps and the prevention of distress sale of livestock by farmers.
The BriefWire