RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Crops in more than 4,500 hectares have submerged in floodwater, KSV Prasad, Joint Director of Agriculture Department, said. Paddy in 3,904 hectares and cotton crop in 668 hectares in East Godavari district are inundated, the official said.
The joint director, along with scientists Seetarama Sarma and Bharat Sarma, has been touring the flood-affected areas for the last two days. “According to preliminary estimations, crops in 4,572 hectares are under flood water since a week. If they continue to remain in the same state for the next two days, they will be heavily damaged,” he said.
Prasad further said water from the fields must be drained out in a day or two and 20 kg of urea and 10 kg of potash must be sprinkled per acre.
“If the water is not drained out in two days, there will be no use in sprinkling fertilisers,” he said, adding a special team would be deputed once the flood water recedes which would then submit a complete report on crop loss to the government.
The team that surveyed the flood-affected Godavari districts was led by the joint director. It visited villages Gudimellanka, Ramarajulanka, Malikipuram, Mattaparru and Lakkavaram among others.
Madhavarao, Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department, and other officers of the department accompanied Prasad.