Rain, floods affect crops on 4 lakh hectares in AP, Telangana

Unabated rains and subsequent floods in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have caused damage to crops in both States. About 4 lakh hectares of crops have been damaged, two lakh hectares each in both States.

While paddy is expected to withstand the submergence for a few days, prolonged flooding has damaged crops such as cotton, red gram, and some horticultural crops. This has dampened the hopes of farmers in these States. They were expecting a good kharif harvest.

“About two lakh farmers in 20 districts have been affected due to floods. Crops on 1.69 lakh hectares and horticultural crops on 19,000 hectares have been damaged in five districts,” a senior official in Andhra Pradesh said.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government has estimated that crops on about two lakh hectares have been damaged. “The damage is more in cotton and red gram,” a top government official said.

The Agriculture Department is in the process of enumerating the extent of damages. With weathermen forecasting more rains over the next few days, the department is monitoring the situation.

On the other hand, the Telangana Rythu Sangham has demanded ₹25,000 an acre compensation for loss of food crops and ₹50,000 an acre for commercial crops. “Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced a compensation of ₹10,000 an acre. The government should increase the compensation factoring in the losses,” B Rambabu, a leader of the farmers’ association, said.