Heavy rains pound Palamuru, causing huge loss to farmers

Mahabubnagar:  Heavy rains continue to pound the Palamuru region to lash causing huge damage to various crops in the 5 districts of erstwhile Mahbubnagar during the past two days. The untimely rains for the last two days have severely affected the paddy, mango, maize and vegetable farmers across the Palamuru region comprising the 5 districts of Mahbubangar, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Narayanpet and Gadwal. The standing crops that are about to be harvested were severely damaged due to the heavy hailstorm in almost all the regions.

Crops across hundreds of acres including mango plantations, maize, chilies, onions and paddy got damaged causing huge loss to the farmers. With the high speed winds combined with hail storm, the mango pods have fallen to the ground; onions ready for harvesting have been destroyed in the horticulture gardens in various places causing loss of lakhs of rupees to the farmers.

With heavy rains and hailstorm, the paddy farmers with standing crops for harvest are the worst hit across Palamuru region. It is estimated that the paddy crop across 3.2 lakh acres has been sown in the district. While those suffering with lack of water, this rain has brought some respite, but for those with standing crop are the worst affected. However, farmers who cultivated mango, onion and vegetable gardens had to suffer heavy losses.

The mango farmers suffered severe damage as the mangoes in many orchards fell due to the hail storm. Early on Sunday, hail storm rain began at 3 o'clock in the morning. Mango plantations in Gandeed mandal were the worst affected as mango pods fell on the ground due to hailstorm.  Farmers with vegetable crops in Hanwada, Balanagar and Nawabupeta mandals of Mahbubnagar were also impacted due to the untimely rains.

Not just agriculture sector, business like brick kilns were also badly damaged due to the untimely rains. Mango orchards located in Narayanapet, Gadwala, Balmur and Vanaparthi mandals were also severely damaged due to the unseasonal rains. It is estimated that mango plantation over a thousand acres may have been destroyed in Jadcherla constituency alone. "Already, this season the mango crop has low yields, with the untimely rains, we are completely at a huge loss as flowering mango plants and mango pods have all been grounded due to the untimely rains," said Jairam of Shankarayapally village in Jadcherla mandal.

As already the farmers are at a loss due to lack of proper yields of their regular crops, with the unrtimely rains causing havoc, this season, the farmers across erstwhile Mahbubnagar district have suffered huge losses. Farmers, who have already taken loans for investment, are expressing concern that untimely rains will drown their crops while they are paying off those loans with hefty interests.In view of this, the farmer community is urging the State and Central governments to assess the crop damage due to the untimely rains and provide assistance to them by paying them compensation for their loss.