Unseasonal rains wreak havoc on fruit and vegetable farmers in Nagarkurnool

The unseasonal rains have wreaked havoc on fruit and vegetable farmers in Nagarkurnool district. According to the statistics from the Agriculture and Horticulture departments a total of 1258.9 hectares of Mango and 4.9 hectares of Banana plantations in the district have been destroyed due to unseasonal rains during the past few days. Among the vegetable farmers, an extent of 1.2 hectares of drum stick plantation and 0.4 hectares of tomato plantation has been badly damaged causing heavy losses to the horticulture and vegetable farmers in the district.

Of the 20 mandals in Nagarkurnool, 12 mandals have reported losses for the fruit and vegetable farmers due to unseasonal rains. Major loss for mango and banana crops is reported from Peddakottapally mandal where in mango plantation to an extent of 723.8 hectares and banana plantation to an extent of 4.9 hectares have been badly damaged causing heavy losses for the farmers.

This is followed by heavy damages to mango farmers in Kollapur mandal wherein mango plantation to an extent of 283 hectares were completely damaged, while Kodair Mandal with a damage of an extent of 121 hectares of mango plantation was lost to unseasonal rains.

Overall in Nagarkurnool an area of 1265.40 hectares of mango and vegetable crops were damaged which is estimated worth crores of rupees. The farmers are urging the government to come forward and extend a helping hand to the mango farmers. "Among all, the mango farmers are badly hit during this season. It is not just due to the unseasonal rains but also due to a lack of proper transportation and marketing facilities in the event of lockdown and coronavirus threat. I had taken 5 acres of mango plantation for Rs. 3 lakhs and expected a return of Rs. 5 lakhs, but all my hopes have been washed away due to unseasonal rains and lockdown," said Kurumaiah, of Mailaram village in Kollapur Mandal.

Recently the Agriculture minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy had directed the horticulture department authorities to access the damage due to unseasonal rains and submit the report to the government so that a relief package can be planned for the farmers. "We have taken cognizance of loss for the fruit and horticulture farmers in the district due to unseasonal rains; however we will be making a decision to compensate them only after a detailed crop damage report. Already directions have been issued and very soon we will come out with a relief package to save the farmers," said the Agriculture minister.