Mancherial: Unseasonal rains spell ruin for paddy farmers

Mancherial: Paddy growers are suffering huge losses the continuous rains. The paddy which was drying in the fields and at market yards is drenched in the rain. Farmers who have been waiting for the 20 days to sell their produce at government procurement centres are much worried over the impending losses. Due to the negligence by marketing authorities, procurement operations have not begun in right earnest. Last year the procurement had begun by this time. This year there is no clarity yet whether the government would buy the paddy or not.

The continuous rains on November 14-17 caused misery to farmers in Gollapalli, Jogapur, Ghanpur, Mailaram under Nennela mandal and many villages under Luxittipet, Hajipur, Kotapalli,Chennur, Bheemaram and Naspur mandals.

This year paddy was cultivated in 1.62 lakh acres in the district, and marketing officials estimated 3.4 lakh metric tonnes yield would be achieved, of which 1.76 lakh metric tonnes are expected to arrive at the procurement centres. In the district, about 50 percent of harvesting has been completed, but procurement has not started so far. Farmers are demanding that the government immediately open procurement centres and save them.

Bhemaiah, a farmer from Naspur, said that he cultivated paddy in six acres in monsoon season. And he cut the grain to sell but unseasonable rains spoiled his stocks. He urged the government to procure the wet grain also and save the farmers from severe losses.