Floods damage crops across 13,000 acres in India’s Srikakulam district
Flooding has damaged crops across 13,000 acres in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district, the Agriculture Department said. Officials are still assessing losses, while scientists are considering nutrient and fertiliser treatments for fields where crops may survive after floodwater recedes.
Floods have damaged crops across 13,000 acres in Srikakulam district in India’s Andhra Pradesh state, the Agriculture Department said, as officials continued assessing the losses. Joint Director of Agriculture Y.V. Murali Krishna said the department expected to complete its enumeration within a few days.
He said some crops could still survive if floodwater receded quickly. Officials and agriculture scientists have visited affected areas in Burja, Amadalavalasa, Polaki, Santhabommali and other mandals. The first inspection of Allina and other villages in Burja mandal was completed on Monday, according to the report.
Murali Krishna said standing paddy had been damaged by the prolonged presence of water around the roots. The affected plants had turned dark, which he said would reduce yields. If the water recedes, the department plans to provide nutrients and fertilisers to help damaged crops recover.
The department also intends to use drones to distribute the inputs, he said. Agriculture scientists from Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur and Naira Agriculture College in Srikakulam are expected to recommend further measures. Their advice was sought after a request from Srikakulam Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar.
The collector said a detailed report on the damage and possible remedies would be sent to the government once the assessment was complete. MARKFED director Anepu Ramakrishna Naidu asked for input subsidies, including for partially damaged crops, saying many farmers had not taken crop insurance and would need assistance to plant during the rabi season.
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