Centre to send team of scientists to Guntur

Guntur: Rajya Sabha Member and Chillies Task Force Committee chairman GVL Narasimha Rao on Sunday visited the pest-affected chilli fields in Pillutla village under Machavaram mandal in Guntur district. He interacted with the farmers and enquired about crop loss due to pest attack. He interacted with Mallela Ravi and elicited details about crop loss and assured everyone that he will try to compensate the loss caused by pest attack.

Narasimha Rao said the State government has disaster funds and might pay crop damages caused by pest attack. He assured that he would request the Centre to take steps to avoid recurring of this type of pest attack and the Centre will depute horticulture scientists' team to Guntur district to study the pest attack to take preventive steps.

Later, Narasimha Rao inspected chilli fields in Kottapalem village and interacted with farmers and enquired whether they insured their crop. He interacted with a farmer G Murali, who explained about crop loss. He assured that he will try to extend helping hand to the farmers, who incurred loss due to pest attack.

The MP met horticulture officials at Morjampadu and got details of crop loss due to pest attack. He stressed on the need to extend helping hand to the farmers, who have not enrolled their details in e-crop and suffered losses due to pest attack.

Meanwhile, the horticulture department officials have already started enumeration to assess crop damage. They were expected to submit the crop damage report to the district administration within two days. According to preliminary reports, 90 percent of chilli crop was damaged due to pest attack in the district.