Cyclone Nivar pushes Khammam district farmers into losses

Khammam: Due to depression, followed by rain, the paddy crop kept in fields for drying, got drenched in many mandals of the district.

According to information, there has been a downpour since Thursday night in a few mandals. Due to lack of tarpaulins, farmers have been unable to protect the paddy in fields. The paddy which was shifted to the paddy purchasing centres got wet along with the paddy crop that reached its harvesting stage fell in the fields and got wet.

Rainfall has been witnessed in mandals that include Nelakondapalli, Kusumanchi, Mudigonda, Tirumalayapalem, Khammam rural, Vemsoor, Kallur, Sattupalli and Penuballi. Many mandals have witnessed rainfall since Thursday night. Farmers have been tensed due to the cyclone, as the paddy crop that has reached the harvesting stage and the paddy cutting that has also begun everywhere.

A farmer of Vemsoor mandal said, "We are cutting paddy, but the sudden rain has hit the crop pushing us into huge losses.''

Agriculture officials warned the farmers and asked them to stop cutting the paddy till the end of the cyclone and also provided tarpaulins to cover the paddy crop. They also suggested the farmers to take all precautionary steps to protect the crop.