Andhra Pradesh suffers rain damage to crops in 25,391 acres

Vijayawada: Agriculture and horticulture crops spread over 25,391.54 acres suffered damage due to rainfall that occurred under the influence of southwest monsoon during the kharif season in Andhra Pradesh.

Based on preliminary reports, standing crops suffered damage in 24,712 acres of land. District-wise damage includes: West Godavari - paddy in 5,512 acres; Krishna - paddy in 7,028 acres; Prakasam - cotton, black gram, sesamum and castor in 10,256 acres; Anantapur - paddy, groundnut, sunflower, maize, johar and bajra in 462 acres; and Kurnool - groundnut, cotton, red gram, sunflower, blackgram and maize in 1,455 acres.

In addition, paddy nurseries also suffered damage to over 642 acres in East Godavari and 3,643 acres in West Godavari.

Farm authorities say that crops in 24,712 acres suffered damage out of those raised in a total of 24,87,599 acres in the kharif season.

Farmers who suffered damage to the standing crops will be given seeds on subsidy basis to help them take up cultivation again. There will be no such relief to farmers who suffered damage to their nurseries, as per norms.

Horticulture crops like fruits, spices, vegetables and flowers suffered damage in nearly 679.54 acres of land spread over four districts including Jangareddygudem in West Godavari, Narasaraopeta in Guntur, Rajampeta in Kadapa and parts of Kurnool.

Horticulture authorities say that based on preliminary reports, crops suffered damage in 14 mandals of four districts, affecting 533 farmers and the estimated loss was Rs418.75 lakh. The affected farmers would get an input subsidy of Rs 41.43 lakh.

Agriculture and cooperation special chief secretary Poonam Malakondaiah held a review meeting with officials on damage to crops due to rains in the state, on Thursday, and directed them to assess the extent of damage, and submit a report on Monday. Officials were also asked to place an indent for input subsidy.

She also asked them to take steps to avoid pest attack and other diseases to the crops.

AP received an actual rainfall of 256.2mm against the normal of 200.3mm, showing a deviation of 27.9 per cent so far from June 1.

Districts like Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur reported excess rainfall. West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Kurnool also registered excess rainfall while the remaining districts reported normal rainfall.