VIJAYAWADA: Farmers of Godavari and Krishna deltas are a worried lot fearing losses to their standing and harvested crops due to heavy rain forecast on Monday and Tuesday because of cyclone Phethai.
However, agriculture department officials rebuffed their fears and said that 95 to 98 per cent of the Kharif crop has already been harvested and stored in warehouses, hence “the scope of extensive damage is nearly non-existent.” But, the officials were quick to add that measures were initiated, including round-the-clock paddy procurement from farmers by the civil supplies department.
“As on date, 95 per cent of the 2,22,214 hectares of paddy crop has been harvested; 707 hectares of paddy in central delta, 110 in the eastern delta, 8,061 in upland areas, 2,405 in Agency are yet to be harvested,” the agriculture officials said.
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As ‘Phethai’ would make landfall on Monday, those farmers, who harvested their crops but were yet to transport them to warehouse and mills, were advised to do so at the earliest. Others were asked to cover their produce with tarpaulin sheets.
“The standing crop may sustain some damage if there is waterlogging due to prolonged rainfall. There may be discolouration of the produce that has already been harvested; so we have advised farmers to shift them to warehouses and mills as soon as possible,” Agriculture Joint Director Ghousia Begum said. In Krishna delta, the cyclone-effect may be limited to some parts of Krishna district. “Most of the paddy cultivated in Bandar division (with all coastal mandals) . The crop is being procured 24x7,” said P Mohan Rao, Deputy Director (Agriculture).