Andhra Pradesh: Rains, flood damage crops in 1,17,391 hectare

Guntur: Heavy rains and floods damaged various crops in 1,17,391 hectare in the state in September, according to preliminary crop damage assessment. Paddy, cotton, groundnut, maize, red gram and black gram crops suffered extensive damage.

According to sources in the agriculture commissioner's office here, paddy was damaged in 58,400 hectare in the state. Maximum crop loss is in West Godavari in an extent of 14,796 hectare followed by 14,566 hectare in Kurnool, 14,560 hectare in East Godavari and 5,027 hectare in Kadapa.

The damage is insignificant in other districts.

Similarly, cotton crop was damaged in 24,071 hectare, with maximum extent of 6,621 hectare in Kurnool, followed by 6,555 hectare in Guntur district, 6,304 hectare in Prakasam and 3,040 hectare in Kadapa.

Maize crop was damaged in an area of 12,771 hectare across the state. The maximum damage was in Kurnool where the crop in 12,104 hectare was affected and Prakasam district suffered crop loss in 537 hectare.

The damage to groundnut crop has been reported in 6,718 hectare, of which the maximum extent of 4,174 hectare in the Anantapur district.

Black gram crop was damaged in a total of 3,833 hectare. Of this, 1,391 hectare is in Kurnool district.

Similarly, red gram suffered damage in 3,590 hectare, the highest extent of 2,156 hectare being in Prakasam followed by 1,119 hectare in Kurnool district.

Chillies, ragi, sugarcane, sunflower, jowar, korra bajra, castor, soybean and green gram crops were also damaged but not significantly.

The revenue and agriculture department officials will conduct final enumeration to assess the crop loss and display the details in the Rythu Bharosa Kendras inviting objections from the farmers. The district collectors will send the report on crop damages by October 15 to the government to facilitate payment of compensation.