Excess rainfall in Anantapur district during the four months of the south west monsoon led to inundation of 11 types of agriculture crops in 6,016.82 hectares spread over 43 mandals. The crop damage has affected 4,977 farmers.
According to Joint Director of Agriculture Ramakrishna, a ground-level survey conducted by the Department of Agriculture in the last one week showed that groundnut crop in 3927.15 hectares spread over 144 villages in 40 mandals was badly damaged and the department will recommend for compensation based on the percentage of loss.
While agreeing that the total yield would come down in groundnut, Mr. Ramakrishna said that excess rain in September did the maximum damage leading to the germination of pods. With regard to the groundnut crop, 3,139 farmers were affected and their crop details were enumerated. All of these farmers had crop insurance too, which was a saving grace.
The second most affected crop was cotton in 30 villages of 12 mandals belonging to 1,393 farmers, who had sown in 1719.35 hectares. The majority of the crop damage was in Peddavadaguru, Gooty, and Pamidi mandals. Paddy in 21 villages of 11 mandals belonging to 277 farmers sown in 222.33 hectares was damaged.
The other crops like maize, ragi, jowar, castor, redgram, bajra, greengram and millet (korra) were damaged in small areas.
