Heavy downpour results in crop loss

The sudden heavy down pour on Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday has resulted in substantial crop loss in the district. The vegetables, mango, chilli, turmeric and pulses are some of the crops that have suffered.

Agriculture Department officials said that the farmers cultivated pulses in 27,365 hectare in the district. Of this, 25,500 hectare is black gram. The farmers cultivated maize in 300 hectare, green gram cultivated in 1,000 hectare and Bengal gram in 180 hectare. The actual loss is yet to be ascertained.

The horticulture crops like cauliflower, cabbage also suffered damages. Many farmers have already harvested the crop, the standing crops however were inundated. These vegetables are cultivated in about 20 hectare.

The chilli farmers, who cultivated in 9,725 hectare, are likely to incur quality loss due to inundation of the harvested crop.

The chilli marooned in flood waters will lose its quality. Likewise, the turmeric is cultivated in 2035 hectare in the district. The turmeric farmers are also likely to incur losses due to deterioration in the quality.

Horticulture Joint Director Subhani said that the mango orchards spread over 76,115 hectare in the district also might have suffered losses. The dropping of flower and fruit take place when there are heavy winds and gales. The farmers growing mango will have to face fungal problems in their orchards.