Intense summer damages crops

The intense heat has taken a toll on standing crops. Crops on 1.6 lakh acres in the districts have withered due to heat. Farmers’ unions are demanding compensation from the state government for the crop loss.

Paddy remains the worst-affected as crop over an extent of 1.53 lakh acres has been damaged. Maize in 5,000 acres and vegetables in 2,000 acres have withered.

According to a report submitted by the agriculture department to the state government, crops that were sown and relying on borewells were the worst affected.

Crops spread over 200 mandals in 17 districts have been hit due to depletion of groundwater making borewells dysfunctional.

Crops over an extent of 26.50 lakh acres have been sown in these mandals, of which 18.54 lakh acres were under borewell cultivation and the rest under tanks, canals, lift irrigation schemes.

While total crops spread over 1.60 lakh acres have withered, of this 1.50 lakh acres of these was under borewell cultivation.

Officials said Medak, Siddipet and Mahbubnagar districts witnessed huge crop loss especially paddy.

Paddy crop got damaged in 35,000 acres in Medak, it was followed by Mahbubnagar at 30,000 acres and Siddipet at 28,000 acres.

The agriculture department brought to the notice of the government the loss is in addition to the crop loss caused due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms last month.

Officials said crops over an extent of 60,000 acres were damaged last month due to hailstorm in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Medak districts, reports said.