Hailstorms led to Rs 13,000-cr loss for MP farmers: Chouhan

Chief Minister said the state has decided to raise amount of relief from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 2,600 crore

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said unseasonal rains and hailstorm caused extensive damage to crops in Madhya Pradesh with the farmers suffering a loss of about Rs 13,000 crore as per the reports receiving from various districts.

"The farmers have suffered an extensive damage to their crops due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm which is going on even now resulting in a crop loss of about Rs 13,000 crore," Chouhan told reporters.

"Because of the natural calamity, the state's total production of Rabi crop is going to decline by 10 per cent," Agriculture Principal Secretary Rajesh Rajora said.

The Chief Minister said due to hailstorm, rabi crop got damaged in 26 lakh hectare area and the state has decided to raise the amount of relief from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 2,600 crore.

Chouhan said that a total of 30,000 villages are affected because of rains and hailstorm causing damage to 20 lakh tonnes (LT) of wheat crop, 10 LT of gram, three LT of masoor (lentil) and 1.5 LT of other crops suffered damages.

Rajora said three-fourth of lentil (masoor) and one-third of gram crop is affected in the entire state.

The above damage was estimated on the basis of available data till March 5, and the survey of the damaged crop after that is underway.

Chouhan said that a memorandum is being prepared for submitting to the Centre demanding relief for the affected farmers and it will be sent by tonight.

The government has also requested the Centre to send a Central team soon to assess the damage.

The state government has already announced a slew of measures for the farmers, including the ones whose more than 50 per cent crops is damaged will be provided wheat an rice at Rs one per kg.