Rains cause major crops loss in Krishna, Guntur districts

The incessant rains in the state have caused heavy damage to the standing crops in Krishna and Guntur districts. The rains have added to the woes of the farmers, particularly paddy farmers who are worried about the low price.

The paddy crop, which is either ready for harvest or already harvested, is now in water due to heavy rains in the last two days. While the standing crop fell to the ground and is entirely in water, the harvested stack is submerged posing a threat of paddy getting discoloured.

According to initial reports, paddy in over 45,000 hectare in Krishna district and 80,000 hectare in the neighbouring Guntur district is in the rain water. Farmers are struggling to drain out the water from the fields and protect the crop.

The other commercial crops like chillies and cotton have also been damaged due to heavy rain in the last 48 hours. The Krishna district received an average rainfall of 61.3 mm, while the Guntur recorded 58 mm.

Besides paddy, cotton cultivated in the western region of Krishna district and Palnadu region of Guntur district is also damaged. The reports say that the cotton in 25,000 acres in Krishna and 100,000 acres in Guntur district is damaged. Though the prices of cotton are good this season, farmers are worried about the quality of the crop, which would reflect on the prices.

Paddy too is facing the threat of losing its colour besides increased moisture, which would bring down the price. The harvested paddy is in a more vulnerable condition as water remains in the fields.

Meanwhile, the state government has appointed senior IAS officers, B R Meena and Hiralal Samaria, as special officers for Krishna and Guntur districts respectively to assess the crop damage.

Minister for Secondary Education, K Pardha Saradhi, spoke to the State Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy to extend support to the farmers. He requested that Food Corporation of India (FCI) be directed to procure the paddy from farmers by relaxing the norms on the quality and colour.

“We are trying our best to help the farmers. We have also requested the state and central governments to relax the procurement norms and stand by the farming community,” he said.

According to an official estimate, the recent rains have damaged agricultural crops in 3.67 lakh hectare and horticulture crops in about 5,000 hectare.

In all, 197 mandals have been affected in East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Krishna and Prakasam districts. As many as 14 deaths have occurred due to the rains.

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar, who reviewed the situation with Revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy, chief secretary S V Prasad and disaster management commissioner T Radha and other officials, asked the district collectors to take measures to save the paddy heaps submerged in the fields and also to repair breaches of roads and minor irrigation tanks.

He will make an aerial survey of the rain-affected areas tomorrow.

The depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed Andhra Pradesh coast near Bapatla early this morning and lay centered about 50 km northwest of Bapatla. Officials said it would weaken gradually and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, according to a press release.