Crop in over 20,000 hectares inundated in AP: Kannababu

Amaravati: The Minister for Agriculture K Kannababu said that more than 20,000 Ha of agriculture land inundated in the state due to floods and heavy rains, till August 19, as per the preliminary data available with the government.

Addressing at a press conference at the secretariat on Tuesday, he said that, 4385 Ha of standing crop inundated in Krishna district, 5406 Ha in Guntur, 4375 Ha in West Godavari, 4,968 Ha in East Godavari and about 200 Ha in Srikakulam district.

The crops including Paddy, Maize, blackgram, greengram, redgram, cotton, sugarcane and chillies in Krishna district and cotton, paddy, sugarcane, maize and black gram in Guntur heavily damaged, he informed. When come to the East and West Godavari districts, the damage mainly would be for paddy crop, he added.

On the other hand, the horticulture crop also got damaged due to the heavy floods in the coastal districts. The officials estimated that the horticulture crops like banana, coconut, acid lime, custard apple, turmeric, yam, vegetables, betel vine, flowers, papaya and others damaged on an extent of around 12,930 Ha, to the tune of more than Rs 213 crore affecting about 26,390 farming families, due to inundation of heavy floods. 6,726 ha of horticulture damaged in Guntur, 4,876 Ha in Krishna, 163 Ha in Kurnool,44 Ha in West Godavari and 720 Ha in East Godavari, the Minister revealed the facts.

He explained that the enumeration of the damage is in progress and the figures announced at present are just based on preliminary reports coming from the ground. The final reports on the overall damage will come a little later, as the enumeration of the damaged crop and properties is under progress.

On this occasion, the Minister assured that the government will provide hundred per cent subsidised seed to the farmers, whose agriculture crops affected due to the sudden heavy floods and rains across the state. At the same time, he also assured that the hundred per cent subsidized seed will be supplied to the farmers whose crop lost due to the shortage of rains in Rayalaseema region and other parts. He mentioned that Rayalaseema region still witnessing the drought situation and expressed concern over the four districts including Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur. He said that the government will take necessary action to ensure sufficient water to be diverted for the region.

Further, he added that the government will finalize the compensation amount to be distributed to the affected farmers, who have been already suffering due to input costs.