Heavy Rains Damage Crops in Rayalaseema

Kurnool: Anantapur district has been experiencing continuous rainfall since Tuesday night, triggered by a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal that has intensified into a depression.

Groundnut, chilli, tomato, pomegranate and other crops have been significantly damaged.

Groundnut crop, planted in June and now in the harvesting stage, has been majorly affected. Farmers in Anantapur, who had removed their crops and left them in the fields, are worried. The rains are turning the groundnut black and causing it to rot.

The district has 2.90 lakh acres of groundnut cultivation, with 93,000 acres in Sri Sathya Sai district. Currently, 30 per cent of the crop is in the harvesting phase. Agriculture officials in both districts are assessing the damage.

Tomato crops are also suffering as the rain causes flowers to fall prematurely. In many mandals, paddy plants have fallen to the ground, hurting rice farmers. With cooler weather, spots are forming on the fruits, leading to a fall in their market value.

Chilli crops in areas like Uravakonda, Guntakal and Rayadurgam have also been damaged.

The onion crop in Kurnool is in trouble. In the harvesting stage, these are rotting due to water-logging. Farm officials have advised farmers to ensure proper drainage in the fields to avoid further damage.

In Prakasam district, streams and canals are overflowing. Roads like Tallur-Mundlamur, Vithalapuram and Gundlakamma Vaagu were submerged, causing disruption to life. The Ongole-Kurnool main road near the RTC bus stand was flooded. The impact of the rains was more severe in Sri Sathya Sai district than in Anantapur.

Kurnool and Nandyal are experiencing light to moderate rainfall. Many mandals, including Allagadda, Midtur, Nandyal, Mahanandi, Dhone, Rudravaram, Owk and other areas have witnessed heavy rains, adding to the worries of local farmers and residents.