Andhra Pradesh: Unseasonal rains wreak havoc on crops in 7,000 hectares

The farmers are worried about further rains in the states as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) of Andhra Pradesh predicted heavy to very heavy rains with thunderstorms and gusty wind in several districts for the next two days.

Amaravati: The unseasonal rains hit the agriculture and horticulture crops in 7,000 hectares across Andhra Pradesh. The reports say that agricultural crops like paddy and maize in Rayalaseema, East Godavari, Konaseema, and Krishna districts damaged in 5,000 hectares. The horticulture crops like bananas, and mango were damaged in 2,000 hectares n several districts.

The farmers are worried about further rains in the states as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) of Andhra Pradesh predicted heavy to very heavy rains with thunderstorms and gusty wind in several districts for the next two days.

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The official says that farmers can save their damaged crops once the rains are reduced and day temperature rises in May. The agriculture department has started enumeration of crop damage.

A few farmers allege that due to some delay in paddy procurement in some areas by the state government, their paddy got drenched by the sudden rainfall.

The horticulture crops like banana, mango, papaya, acid lime, sweet orange, etc., were damaged, and the authorities have suggested an input subsidy of Rs 288 lakh based on a preliminary estimate of crop damages on around 1,217 hectares across 11 districts.

According to the state government, it issued an input subsidy of Rs 1,911.81 crore to help 22.22 lakh farmers who experienced crop damage or loss on 30.86 lakh acres from 2019–20 to 2022–23 as a result of natural disasters in the state.