The copious rainfall that Yadgir district received in the last couple of days has badly affected the standing crops in several thousand hectares of the land across the district.
Farmers who had sown their crops after the onset of monsoon were expecting a good yield. But the torrential rains have not only damaged the standing crops but also dashed the dreams of farmers.
According to sources from the agriculture department, a total 12,181.71 hectares of the area which grew different crops were affected across the district owing to excess rain in the month of July.
Of the 12,181.71 hectares, cotton was most affected with 5,325.15 hectares impacted by rainfall, followed by redgram (2,577.04 hectares), sugarcane (25.44 hectares), bajra (62.48 hectares), paddy (18.80 hectares) and green gram (4,172.80 hectares).
“Cotton and short term cash crop green gram have been drastically affected. This would deal a big blow to farmers. The major area of 4,650.47 hectares growing cotton and 3,163.40 hectares growing green gram are included in the total 8629.87 hectares that were affected by rains in Yadgir taluk alone. Besides, 1,376 hecrates of redgram and 985.40 acres of green gram were affected in Gurmitkal taluka,” the sources added.
Farmers are looking at the government’s response after the loss. “The state government should declare Yadgir district as rain-affected and announce compensation of ₹50,000 per acre to the affected farmers,” a farmer leader demanded.
