VIJAYAWADA: Farmers of Krishna and Guntur districts who cultivate different crops in their land holdings along the course of the river now have their fingers crossed with a surge in flood levels in the river. At present, the flood levels hover between 3 lakh and 3.5 lakh cusecs and there has been no significant crop damage on both the banks of the Krishna river.
However, they are worried as they will suffer losses if the flood levels cross the 5 lakh cusecs mark, and pray that it won’t happen. Last year, they were at the receiving end of the flood fury in the Krishna river.
“Several farmers, particularly those who cultivated cotton, maize, vegetables and turmeric, had suffered losses last year. Most of the losses were reported downstream Prakasam barrage. Now, we hope the floods recede in 2-3 days and if the water level increases further, standing crops may be affected,” explained M Vijaya Bharathi, agriculture joint director in Guntur district.
According to her, as of today, no crop damage has been reported and a few acres of maize cultivated in the river islands downstream Prakasam Barrage has suffered some damage. If the flood continues, the cotton cultivated upstream the barrage along the river course might be affected.Similar situation prevails in Krishna district and there has been no reports of any horticulture corp damage either in delta or in uplands of the district.
In fact, officials felt that the flood levels at the current discharge rate might prove beneficial, if they do not continue for more than three days. It will be helpful for the paddy cultivated in the delta mandals and increase the ground-water levels.As per the preliminary corp damage report due to rains and floods in August till date submitted to the district collector, standing crop in 4,003 hectares was affected. Green gram in 2,448 hectares, which was at harvesting stage, was affected, followed by paddy in 919 hectares, cotton in 474 hectares, black gram in 135 hectares, groundnut in 12 hectares, chillies in 10 heaters and maize in 5 hectares.
Though there has been no flood damage reported in Kurnool district, where heavy inflows in both Krishna and Tungabhadra river were reported, continuous rains since last 10 days have proven fatal for maize crop in Atmakur, Pamulapadu, Kotapalle and Nandikotkur areas of the district. According to the district Agriculture joint director, maize in 6,711 hectares suffered damage due to waterlogging induced stem rot. Farmers are now removing the crop from the fields to use it as fodder and replacing it with black gram. Heavy rains also affected cotton crops in 4,793 hectares and farmers hope that they will at least get single picking. Groundnut in around 1,100 hectares was also affected due to heavy rains.
Meanwhile, heavy floods in Godavari has inundated paddy crops in 2,400 hectares in the delta region of West Godavari district while around 250 hectares in Polavaram mandal was affected. Cotton cultivated in 40 hectares in Polavaram, Veleripad area was affected. Officials said the real extent of the crop damage can only be known after enumeration, which will be taken up as soon as the floods recede.
In East Godavari district, paddy crop in 3,163 hectares in 101 villages of 23 mandals, which was at tillering stage, was inundated. Six hundred hectares in Mummidivaram and 300 hectares in Sitanagaram mandals were inundated. Cotton cultivated in 255 hectares of 25 villages in three mandals — Nelipaka, Kunavaram and Seetanagaram — suffered inundation. Maize cultivated in 255 hectares in Seethanagaram mandal was affected.
According to experts, the crop damage due to floods in the State so far is very marginal, thanks to the absence of rains and floods at the same time. In fact, the floods were due to the heavy rains in upper catchment areas.
