Unseasonal rains cause widespread crop loss

The unseasonal rains and inclement weather has damaged standing crop in over 60,000 acres, including 58,700 acres under paddy and 5,000 acres under horticultural crops, in the three districts — Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Suryapet and Nalgonda — according to preliminary estimates by the Agriculture Department.

This season, the farmers were expecting a good harvest with considerably less incidence of pest attack and sufficient irrigation.

In Nalgonda, 33,270 acres of standing paddy crop (MTU-1010 quality) was damaged leaving 17,000 farmers and their families in distress. Crop losses ranging between 30% and 60% were recorded in almost all the 22 mandals, and Tripuraram (6,500 acres), Nidamanuru (5,200 acres) reported the highest losses.

In Suryapet, paddy crop was lost in 24,196 acres across its 20 mandals, and in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, crop loss was reported in 1,245 acres, according to preliminary estimates.

The erstwhile unified Nalgonda district tops the State in loss of paddy crop, with nearly 65% of the total 90,000 acres reported to have been damaged according to preliminary evaluation. Further, the gusty conditions on Sunday evening resulted in uprooting of full-grown horticulture crops. Mango trees lost their fruit, lemon trees were uprooted, papaya plants were damaged leaving farmers in despair. Till Tuesday, the officials could only record the loss in about 3,500 acres. Many farmers, when contacted, said the official figure was low as their losses were yet to be assessed.