Hailstorms, unseasonal rains batter crops across Telangana

​Hyderabad: Preliminary reports of the crop damage in the State due to the hailstorm and unseasonal rains on Monday were recorded on about 38,000 acres. Paddy and maize were the two main crops which incurred heavy damage. According to the sources in the agriculture department crops in 120 mandals spread in 20 districts of the State have been damaged. Paddy crops spread in about 30,000 acres and maize in about 8,000 acres was damaged, ranging from 33 to 50 per cent during the natural calamity.

As per the information received from various districts besides Nalgonda and Khammam, three more districts experienced heavy damage. Similarly, horticulture crops in Siddipet, Jangaon, Nagarkurnool, Mahbubnagar, Sircilla, Karimnagar, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Bhadradri- Kothagudem, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Nalgonda, and Suryapet experienced rains coupled with heavy winds and hailstorm damaged horticultural crops. 

The initial loss has been estimated at Rs 5.40 crore, said State Director Horticulture L Venkat Rami Reddy. He said mainly banana, papaya, and acid lime were damaged, and asked the farmers to opt for the cultivation of vegetables. He also appealed to the farmers to take insurance facility to their crops. 

Meanwhile, State Principal Secretary Agriculture C Parthasarathy held a teleconference with Commissioner and Directors of Agriculture, Horticulture and representatives of the three insurance companies on Tuesday.

Asking the District Agriculture Officers (DAOs) to be on alert, Parthasarathy asked to immediately take up the work of assessment of crop loss in the districts and submit a report. He further said the DAOs should report the nature of damage specifically, it includes lodging, grain shredding, shedding or shattering of the crop.

As the assessment of crop damage needs to be carried out on an urgent basis, he asked the DAOs not to sanction leave to field staff till enumeration of crop damage and proper reporting was submitted. 

The officials told during the conference that crop damage was noticed in 20 districts out of which, severe damage was reported in five to six districts.