Cyclone Tauktae flattens nearly 90% standing crop in Gujarat's Saurashtra

AHMEDABAD: According to initial estimates, about 90% of standing crop in Saurashtra has been levelled by cyclone Tauktae, which struck Gujarat coast on Monday night and its effects were experienced through Tuesday.
While the state agriculture department will initiate a detailed crop damage survey next week, officials have been asked to send an estimate of the damage.Looking at the severity of the cyclone — which struck the coast with a wind speed of over 150 km per hour — officials are estimating 90% damage to standing crop in areas closer to the Saurashtra coast, while the damage to crops in interior areas of Saurashtra could be around 70%.
Damage to crops has been seen in Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Rajkot and Botad.
Manoj Barad, a resident of Kodinar who had sown ‘moong’ crop over a large area, says the damage has been massive as the entire crop has washed away. To make matters worse, about 20% of his coconut trees were uprooted and blown away. “We did not realise that the cyclone would cause so much destruction,” said Barad.
Arvind Dave, a farmer in Dhari, said that he had opted for the summer groundnut crop, but it has been completely damaged by the cyclone. “Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds destroyed everything in my fields. This is the condition of all farmers in the region,” he said.
A senior agriculture department officer said that the estimate according to field officials is around 90% damage to standing crop in Saurashtra, while the damage in North Gujarat would be estimated only once the cyclone passes through the area. “If there is heavy rain accompanied with wind of around 60 km per hour, there will be widespread damage to standing crop in north Gujarat too,” the official said.
“Around this time of the year, sowing usually takes place over 8 lakh hectares. This time, sowing took place over 10.5 lakh hectares due to availability of water. We expect huge damages,” said a senior department officer.
According to official figures, this year, bajra and moong were sown over 59,000 hectares as compared to 32,000 hectares last season. Groundnut was sown over 60,000 hectares as compared to 47,000 hectares last season. There was a major rise in sesame crop this season. It was sown over 98,000 hectares as compared to 31,000 hectares last season.
The officer said that around 30% of the total sowing of 10.5 lakh hectare took place in Saurashtra, 40% sowing was in North Gujarat and 23% sowing was in Central Gujarat. The official said that if similar damage occurs in north Gujarat as well, around 60% of the total sowing area in the state will be affected adversely by the cyclone.