Farmers wait for compensation of crop damage in Adilabad, Mancherial

Heavy rains in Adilabad district recently affected standing crops, including cotton, red gram, soya, and maize, across 1,961 acres. A preliminary assessment revealed damage to crops in the mandals of Jainath, Bela, Boath, Thamsi, Bheempur, Gadiguda, and Utnoor.

Adilabad: Farmers are waiting for compensation of crop damage caused by recent heavy rains in both Adilabad and Mancherial districts.

Standing cotton, red gram, soya and maize crops to the extent of 1,961 acres were affected by heavy rains that lashed Adilabad district recently. The crops being raised in Jainath, Bela, Boath, Thamsi, Bheempur, Gadiguda and Utnoor mandals of Adilabad district were damaged as per a primary assessment.

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Cotton crop grown in 1,609 acres stood at the top, followed by the soya crop being raised in 234 acres and red gram in 25 acres submerged. The crop was damaged by the downpours and backwater of the Penganga river. Significantly, the cotton crop reached the flowering stage. Consequently, 732 growers from 43 villages suffered huge losses.

Similarly, various crops being raised in 543 acres were damaged by rains in Mancherial district, according to a primary survey conducted by officials. As many as 393 farmers were affected by the crop damage. Standing cotton, red gram, soya, paddy and green gram crops were damaged by the downpours in Chennur, Jannaram, Jaipur, Naspur, Hajipur and Mancherial mandals of the district.

Rs 40,000 per acre cotton

Uttam, a farmer from Bhela manda in Adilabad said that he invested at least Rs 40,000 per acre to grow cotton crop. He stated that he raised the cotton crop in 4 acres by renting a piece of land. The farmers of other crops said that they spent at least 10,000 per acre to raise red gram, soya and maize crops to buy seeds, to remove weed and to till land.

CM announcement rekindles hopes

It may be recalled that Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced that compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre would be extended to farmers, while he was touring rain-affected crops in Khammam district, rekindling hopes of farmers. Farmers said that they were in dire need of financial support from the government to overcome losses.

Excess rainfall

Incidentally, the actual rainfall of Adilabad district was measured to be 1,068 mm as against the normal rainfall of 985 mm from June 1 to September 26, posting an excess by 8 percent. Mancherial district saw rainfall of 992 mm when compared to the normal of 927 mm, indicating an excess by 7 percent.

When asked, Surekha, Mancherial district agriculture officer said that a final crop damage report was submitted to the government through the Collector recently. She stated that the farmers would get the compensation once the government makes a decision.