Chilli, horticulture crops in 32K acres inundated

Amaravati: Heavy rains during the last two days inundated chilli, cotton and horticulture crops over 32,000 acres in Gurajala, Karempudi, Durgi and Piduguralla mandals of Guntur district. If the rain continues, the crop will totally be damaged resulting in huge losses to the farmers.

Though farmers cultivated pre-kharif black gram, green gram and other irrigated dry crops in the Nagarjunasagar ayacut area of Palnadu region, they have already harvested the crops. If there is no further rain, there would be no crop damage. The agriculture department officials decided to conduct the enumeration after receding the water. It will take another two- days. After that the district administration will set up special teams to enumerate the losses.

Due to severe drought, till the last fortnight, the farmers in the Palnadu region used sprinklers and oil engines to save withering chilli, cotton gardens over thousands of acres. Due to incessant rains during the last two days all the streams and rivulets are grim in Palnadu region. Flood water inundated cotton, chilli and horticulture gardens in over 15000 acres.

Joint director of Agriculture VDV Krupadas said "Rain during the last two days is useful to recharge the groundwater levels. He said all tanks were full to the brim in Palnadu. Deputy director of horticulture K Jayachandra Reddy said they will start enumeration to assess crop loss soon in next two days.