ANANTAPUR: Surplus and untimely rains and pest infestation have brought down the groundnut and red gram yield in Anantapur.
This cropping season, groundnut was cultivated in 4.95 lakh hectares with a total investment of around Rs 3,000 crore. Though ample rains in June and July last year gave the growers high hopes of a bountiful season, excess rain activity in August and September harmed the crop during harvesting.
In spite of the crop loss, officials did not consider the damage to the groundnut produce. In their report, they estimated a loss of 2 lakh acre of pulses due to untimely rainfall in the region whereas the loss to groundnut was recorded at only 10,000 acre.
“I cultivated groundnut in around 10 acres after taking the land on lease at Rs 10,000 from a person, and spent another Rs 50,000 on the seeding. The untimely rainfall brought down the yield to a meagre three quintals, which I sold for Rs 3,500 per quintal in the market,” said B Akkulanna from Noothimadugu in Kambaduru mandal. Meanwhile, red gram growers suffered a double whammy of excess rainfall and pest attack, which prevented flowering of a majority of the Kharif crop.
Vijayasekhar from Noothimadugu village lamented that the cost of cultivation has increased significantly. “I raised red gram in 10 acres. Though the saplings have grown, there has been no flowering of the crop. I only got three bags of red gram so far. A majority of groundnut and red gram farmers have incurred losses.”
The cropping area for red gram has increased by over 40,000 hectares to 1,83,247 hectares this season. Around 75% of the crop has not reached the flowering stage. “We have reported the crop loss due to untimely rains during November to the government, and are awaiting clarity on the compensation,” said Chandra Naik, JDA, Anantapur.