Kadapa: Horticulture farmers in Kadapa district are waiting for compensation from the government as they are experiencing huge loss due to natural calamities like heavy winds and untimely rains over the past 3 years.
The district horticulture officers are conducting surveys to estimate the loss and file proposals for compensation. Since 2016, farmers in the district are not getting any compensation from the government.
As many as 9,848 farmers lost their horticulture orchards to an extent of 5,050.79 hectares and crop loss was estimated by `1,267.57 lakh.
Heavy rains, winds and hailstorms in May and August 2016 damaged 544.11 hectares of horticulture crops of 1592 farmers. The officials estimated the loss of damaged crops at Rs 136.42 lakh and have sent proposals to the government. In 2017 heavy winds and rains damaged 1171.20 hectares of horticulture crops belonging to 2,768 farmers and the estimated loss was Rs 306.15 lakh.
Untimely rains in 2018 March, April and May damaged 1,923.87 hectares of crops belonging to 3,972 farmers and the loss was estimated at `464.27 lakh.
In August, September and October months of the same year, heavy rains damaged 223.61 hectares of horticulture orchards belonging to 351 farmers and the estimated loss was Rs 55.33 lakh.
In April, May and June 1,188 hectares of horticulture crops belonging to 2,065 farmers were damaged and the loss estimated was `305.40 lakh rupees. Every year farmers are facing huge losses, but the government has not sanctioned any compensation. In 2018-19 due to lack of sufficient rains drought like situation affected 4387.10 hectares of horticulture orchards belonging to 5304 farmers.
In Kadapa and Rajampeta horticulture divisions, mango, sweet orange, acid lime, banana, papaya, pomegranate, guava, betel vine, beans and onion crops dried up due to lack of rains.
All the farmers in the district are waiting for compensation from the government. Horticulture deputy director in-charge P. Madhusudana Reddy said, “We have submitted the reports to the government and are waiting for funds."
