Farmers suffer huge losses; damage to standing crops

ADILABAD: Farmers in the region have suffered hugely due to floods and incessant rains and are seeking timely help from the government. The state government is yet to take up a survey to assess the crop loss at the village level, farmers say.

Farmers have appealed to the government to release special funds for removing the sand-casting from their agriculture fields. Congress and BJP leaders staged demonstrations demanding that the government release compensation to the damaged crops and hold village-level surveys.

Many farmers have invested heavily in the standing crops and filling the gaps due to lack of germination of seeds. They are sowing for a second or third time due to lack of germination of seeds, especially cotton and soya. This doubled the investment cost.

The standing crops of cotton, soya, red gram and turmeric were damaged badly due to the floods in recent weeks in the erstwhile Adilabad district. The damage was high in both Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Adilabad districts.

Farmers urged the state government to remove the sand casting from their fields, with funds from the gram panchayat or through special funds.

Standing crops have been washed away as floodwaters entered agriculture fields from the nearest rivulets and tanks following the incessant rains.

The farmers were expecting a price of Rs 10,000 per quintal of cotton but their hopes were shattered due to the massive damage they suffered. They are upset that agriculture officials, especially extension officers, have not visited the villages to assess the crop damage so far.

According to rough estimates, standing crops were damaged in more than a lakh of acres in the initial days of the floods and the loss has increased with incessant rains in the region.