Mahanandi: Farmers incur huge losses as rains damage banana crop

Mahanandi(Nandyal district): Unseasonal and untimely rains that lashed Mahanandi mandal in Nandyal district on June 7 and 8 caused severe damage to banana crops. The crop in thousands of acre was damaged leaving farmers in huge losses.

According to sources, the loss is estimated to be around Rs 15 crore.

The farmers in several mandals in Nandyal district cultivate banana in large extent of land apart from paddy, groundnut and others. Despite facing frequent losses, farmers are reluctant to switch to other crops hoping that one day they would see profits.

Banana is cultivated in thousands of acre in Thimmapuram, Basavapuram, Sri Nagaram, Alli Nagaram, Gopavaram, Gajulapalli and Bukkapuram villages under Mahanandi mandal.

Due to the unseasonal rains and gusty winds that lashed the mandal on Wednesday and Thursday, most of the crops have been damaged in the district. At some places the crop was completely fell to ground. The farmers who spent huge amounts on cultivation are in great dismay and are urging the government to compensate for the huge loss and rescue them from ruin.

A farmer Pandanti Venkatramanaiah, of Bukkapuram village of Mahanadi mandal said that he had cultivated the banana crop in an extent of three acre. He had invested a minimum of Rs 1.50 lakh on an acre, totalling Rs 4.5 lakh and the crop was at harvesting stage. The untimely rains that lashed the village had damaged the entire crop, the farmer said.

He further said that they do not have crop insurance which left them devasted as they have no way of recovering financially. He urged the government to extend crop damage besides providing insurance facilities to banana crop.