Farmers cultivating maize in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts have lost their hopes following a drastic fall in yield because of scanty rainfall this year.
Normally, each acre ensures a yield of 25 quintals during kharif. But this season, the yield has fallen to 15 quintals. As a result, the farmers could not get back their investment.
Maize is grown in 22,030 acres in Srikakulam district and 20,000 acres in Vizianagaram district this year.
Many farmers have opted for maize instead of paddy as it requires limited investment.
However, the farmers in mandals such as Bobbili, Ramabhadrapuram, Saluru, and Gajapati Nagaram in Vizianagaram district are a worried lot because of the slump in yield.
Similar is the scenario in Srikakulam district.
Farmers of Rajam and Burja mandals have urged the government to pay compensation.
"Normally, we earn Rs. 25,000 per acre. But we have lost hopes this season. We request the revenue and agriculture officials to assess the damage," says Y. Rama Rao, a farmer of Rajam. Officials of the Agriculture Department say that the drop in yield could be limited to a few areas.
"The yield is generally more during rabi, when it touches 40 quintals per acre. In fact, the acreage under maize has gone up significantly this time as many farmers plumped for the crop," says D. Prameela, Joint Director of Agriculture, Vizianagaram.
The officials hope that acreage under paddy would go up following improvement in rainfall in the last two weeks.
