Severe Drought in Andhra Pradesh.. Farmers Face Growing Concerns

The Andhra Pradesh government has declared 388 mandals across 21 districts as drought-affected areas for the Kharif 2026 season amid severe rainfall deficiency. Of these, 283 mandals have been classified as severely drought-affected and 105 as moderately drought-affected. Rayalaseema, along with the erstwhile Guntur and Prakasam regions, has reported significant drought impact. Official orders said the state recorded a 53.4% rainfall deficit between June and August.

The inclusion of only 388 of the state’s 688 mandals has drawn objections from farmer and agricultural worker groups, according to reports. Mandals in the Amaravati and Kuppam areas have also been included in the drought list. Critics have questioned why the remaining 300 mandals were not included. The government has directed authorities to take relief measures in drought-hit areas, including steps to facilitate loan rescheduling for affected farmers.