Unseasonal rain hits farmers

• Paddy kept for sale drenched at purchase centres, market yards
• Ryots urge govt to buy wet paddy

Karimnagar: Heavy unseasonal rain in Karimnagar district on Wednesday caused loss to farmers, soaking paddy, maize and cotton kept for sale at purchase centres.

Rain lashed several mandals, including Karimnagar, Husnabad, Jammikunta, Jagtial, Sircilla, Yellareddipet, Sankarapatnam, Kalva Srirampur, Manthani, Mahadevpur, Kataram and Maha Mutharam.

The showers drenched thousands of paddy bags at 25 purchase centres and six market yards. At some places, officials did not purchase paddy stating that the moisture content was more.

While at market yards, bags of paddy which were already weighed and kept ready for sale got drenched. Officials had asked farmers to dry the paddy and keep it ready for transport. Farmers were given receipts for the purchased paddy till Wednesday afternoon. However, the sudden downpour drenched the paddy bags. As no tarpaulin sheets were available in market yards, farmers could not protect their produce.

Farmers expressed concern following the forecast of rain during the next four days. They urged the government to initiate immediate measures to purchase wet paddy.

Private traders at Mahadevpur, Maha Mutharam and other places are allegedly bargaining with farmers to buy paddy at a lower price.