Farmers are now awaiting compensation from the government, seeking relief that takes into account the rising labour and input costs.

Heavy rains triggered by a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal have battered farmers in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts, with thousands of hectares of agriculture and horticulture crops damaged by incessant downpours, gale winds and flash floods.

According to preliminary estimates, 13,550 hectares (33,850 acres) of agriculture crops, including paddy, maize and cotton, and 1,030 hectares (2,500 acres) of horticulture crops, including banana, papaya and vegetables, have been damaged across the three districts. In addition, 1,304 coconut trees and 670 oil palm trees were uprooted by the strong winds.

Agriculture officials have begun enumerating the crop damage through the Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Information Management System (APAIMS) app. Details, including farmers’ names, bank account information and photographs of damaged crops, are being uploaded to the system. Farmers are now awaiting compensation from the government, seeking relief that takes into account the rising labour and input costs.

Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram-Manyam are predominantly agrarian districts, with a large section of the population dependent on farming. Around three lakh hectares of agriculture crops such as paddy, maize and cotton and another one lakh acres of horticulture crops, including banana, papaya, coconut, oil palm and vegetables, are cultivated in the three districts during every Kharif season.

However, only around 70 per cent of the normal cultivation had been taken up this Kharif season due to a 37 per cent rainfall deficit caused by the delayed southwest monsoon and El Niño phenomenon. Farmers in river-bank and low-lying areas had managed to cultivate their fields despite the difficult conditions.

The incessant rains triggered by the deep depression moving across south Odisha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh have now dealt a major blow to their hopes.

Heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Odisha also caused a sharp rise in inflows into the Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers, resulting in flash floods that breached bunds and inundated low-lying agricultural fields.

Thousands of hectares of paddy fields have remained waterlogged for the past 72 hours. Prolonged water stagnation could lead to root rot, crop lodging and substantial yield losses. Horticulture crops, including banana, papaya and seasonal vegetables, have also suffered extensive damage due to strong winds and waterlogging.

In Srikakulam, 12,400 hectares (31,000 acres) of agriculture crops have been damaged. This includes 11,393 hectares (28,482 acres) of paddy, 894 hectares (2,235 acres) of maize and 121 hectares (302 acres) of cotton.

Around 762 hectares (1,905 acres) of horticulture crops have also been damaged in the districts.

In Vizianagaram district, 545 hectares (1,362 acres) of agriculture crops have been damaged.

Another 189 hectares (472 acres) of horticulture crops, including banana and papaya, were damaged by the strong winds.

Source - https://www.newindianexpress.com