News from Andhra Pradesh: It is estimated that crops were damaged in 169 mandals in East Godavari, West Godavari, and Krishna districts.
Hyderabad: In recent times, there has not been a cyclone as devastating as “Gulab” which left a trail of destruction across the coast of Andhra Pradesh, damaging crops on over 1.56 lakh acres and causing significant losses to infrastructure. The cyclone, which crossed the Andhra-Odisha coast on Sunday evening, triggered heavy rains and high winds, uprooting utility poles. Six people lost their lives in separate incidents.
According to preliminary estimates from the state government, nearly 1.56 lakh of acres of crops were lost due to the cyclone, especially in Godavari and Krishna districts.
Agriculture Minister K. Kannababu said the rice crop on 16,823 acres was damaged and the corn crop on 21,078 acres. In Krishna District, a cotton crop of over 10,588 acres was damaged.
The cyclone also caused damage to horticultural crops on more than 7,207 acres. He said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had previously called on the department to help farmers who have suffered crop losses.
It is estimated that crops were damaged in 169 mandals. Kannababu said officials have been appointed to assess the damage to crops and assured farmers will receive all the help.
He said officials have been appointed to oversee the final count and district collectors have been ordered to hold agro-advisory committee meetings to discuss the crop loss. In accordance with the instructions of the Chief Minister, all necessary measures will be taken to save the farmers.
He said that while the government was working hard in these critical times, opposition leaders were sowing panic among farmers by launching a malicious campaign against the government.
The minister criticized TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu for “misleading people”. He recalled that the farmers were abandoned by the TDP leaders during their rule, but the same leaders are now shedding crocodile tears. “Unlike the previous government, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has always supported farmers, introduced a market stabilization fund and supported them from seed to sale,” he said.
Kannababu said the TDP government only bought 11.22 lakh tons of crops in five years at a cost of Rs 3,921 crore, but the current government spent Rs 6,454 crore to buy 19.39 lakh tons of crops over the past two years.
He said the growth rate of agriculture fell from 8.31 percent to 4.75 percent under the TDP but rose to 5.52 percent under the YSRCP. Likewise, the growth rate of livestock and fisheries has been recorded at 8.84 percent and 4.66 percent, respectively, during the five years of the TDP rule while the same under the current regime. was 12.51 percent and 8.59 percent.
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