Torrential rain and landslides this year have caused considerable damage to agriculture in Kullu, directly impacting the economy of farmers. The data procured from the Agriculture Department reveals that the monsoon fury caused Rs 92.36-crore losses in the district.

According to the Agricultural Department in Kullu, cereals like maize, paddy, millets, pulses, fodder and ragi crops were sown on 18,770 hectares in the district and of this, crops on 12,368 hectares were damaged. The damage to the crops below 33 per cent was reported on 550 hectares, while it was above 33 per cent on 11,818 hectares.

The maize crop suffered the major damage, followed by pulses, paddy, fodder, millets and ragi. The maize crop was sown on 13,500 hectares in Kullu and of which damage occurred on 9,625 hectares; paddy was sown on 1,000 hectares and damage occurred on 562 hectares; millet sown on 550 hectares while damage occurred on 296 hectares; pulses sown on 2,650 hectares while damage reported on 1,590 hectares, fodder sown on 850 hectares and damage occurred on 550 hectares and ragi was sown on 220 hectares while the crop on 105 hectares was damaged, revealed the data.

Commercial crops like potato, vegetables, ginger and oilseed were sown on 8,470 hectares and the produce was damaged on 5,415 hectares. The potato crop sown on 650 hectares suffered damage on 350 hectares, vegetables sown on 7,650 hectares suffered damage on 4,965 hectares, ginger sown on 70 hectares were destroyed on 45 hectares, while oilseed sown on 100 hectares was damaged on 55 hectares, the data revealed.

Source - https://www.tribuneindia.com