Farmers hit again by heavy rains in several districts

Farmers heading with their grains stocks to agriculture marketyards and at harvesting points bore the brunt of the untimely rains.

Hyderabad: Rabi farmers were hit badly as several districts in the State experienced a downpour on Thursday. Heavy spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds, thunderstorms and lightning that battered many parts in north Telangana areas left a trail of destruction in agriculture fields.

Farmers heading with their grains stocks to agriculture marketyards and at harvesting points bore the brunt of the untimely rains.

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Though the Marketing Department had claimed to have taken precautions in view of the rain forecast given by the IMD for the week up to May 20, paddy stocks were either washed away or exposed to rain at different places.

The Agriculture Department has asked for fresh reports from the districts affected by the downpour on the crop losses. The untimely rains experienced in the State during the last ten days (from May 5) left standing crops destroyed either fully or partially in at least 3,000 acres as per initial estimates.

This was in addition to the 9,000 acres in which crops were lost on account of untimely rains experienced in April last.

“The extent of damage caused on account of heavy rains needs to be assessed. Heavy rains were expected to continue for the next four days and the official machinery from the departments concerned would be put on the enumeration task immediately,” officials said.

The districts of Sangareddy, Medak, Siddipet, Rajanna Sircilla, Nirmal, Kamareddy and Jagtial have experienced heavy rains.

Several places in others districts too had moderate to heavy rainfall. Winds with a speed ranging from 30 to 40 miles per hour that swept the districts caused more damage.

Paddy stocks moved by farmers into purchase centres were exposed to rain in Dharur mandal of Vikarabad district. Farmers in Gajwel, Illenthakunta and Nagaram had similar experiences.