 "Diamond rush in Andhra: Rain-washed soil draws farmers, fortune hunters")
The monsoon season in Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalaseema region has turned into a fortune-hunting opportunity for villagers and farmers. Farmers of Kurnool and Anantapur districts are often found hunting for precious stones, including diamonds, alongside kharif cultivation.
According to a PTI report, Jonnagiri, Tuggali, and Peravali are drawing crowds of villagers, traders, and outsiders eager to test their luck this season. After heavy monsoon rains wash away the topsoil, diamonds often surface in these regions.
Tradition of diamond-hunting
The tradition of diamond hunting in Rayalaseema region isn’t new. For years, villagers and outsiders have flocked to places like Jonnagiri in search of precious stones, inspired by stories of farmers who turned their fortunes.
According to an IANS report three diamond hunters found precious stones worth ₹2.4 crore in the Jonnagiri village in 2021. In 2022, a farmer reportedly sold a precious stone for about ₹40 lakh. Another farmer is said to have sold a 30-carat diamond for ₹1.4 crore.
Last year, Boya Ramanjaneyulu, a farmer from Jonnagiri unearthed a diamond while working on his farm, according to the Deccan Chronicle. Ramanjaneyulu showed it to a local diamond trader, who reportedly paid ₹12 lakh in cash and five tolas (58.319 grams) in gold.
Bharat Palod, an entrepreneur from Telangana, told PTI that even if you pick a stone, it may turn your fortunes. Stone hunting changed Palod’s life after he discovered one in 2018. This year he sold a diamond for ₹8 lakh.
Increase in footfall
Diamond hunters from several parts of the country have thronged these areas to try their luck and make money. The IANS report noted that hotels and lodges in Anantapur district often see an increase in footfall during the monsoon season. Some people even stay for long periods in makeshift tents or in the open between June and September.
Kurnool DIG Koya Praveen told PTI that people who migrate for work often return during the monsoon to harvest diamonds. He said that even though villagers at times resist outsiders, no major crime has been reported so far.
Renewed excitement
While many farmers return empty-handed after days of digging through the region’s black soil, tales of rare jackpots continue to draw them back each monsoon. The PTI report mentioned that this season news of people finding multiple high-value diamonds have renewed excitement. According to the report, Venkateshwara Reddy, a farm worker from Peravali village, sold a diamond for ₹15 lakh to a local trader.
In another case, Srinivasulu, a farmer from Kurnool district, unearthed a rare diamond that was reportedly sold for around ₹2 crore to a trader syndicate, making headlines across the region.
Calls for checks on exploitation
Despite the rising diamond rush, authorities currently have no mechanism to regulate sales, leaving villagers vulnerable. Locals argue that government intervention is necessary to ensure fair pricing and protect farmers from exploitation.
Officials told the news agency that the trade operates informally and outside any regulatory framework, which complicates direct oversight. However, demands for checks and safeguards are growing stronger. Farmers argue that traders often exploit them by offering low prices, sometimes questioning the stone’s quality or even threatening legal actions to force a quick deal.
Diamond legacy of Rayalaseema
Rayalaseema is located in a region that falls within the larger Kurnool-Cuddapah-Bellary belt, has centuries-old association with diamond mining. The tradition of diamond hunting in the area dates back to the Vijayanagara Empire, when the region was a known source of precious stones. Diamonds from local riverbeds and mines often contributed to the kingdom’s immense wealth.
Some of the world’s most famous diamonds, including those from the nearby Golconda mines, are believed to have originated from the same geological formations that extend into Rayalaseema. While large-scale commercial mining has declined over the centuries, seasonal rains continue to expose small stones in the soil, sustaining the tradition of villagers and fortune seekers combing the fields for diamonds during monsoon.