HYDERABAD: Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy on Sunday said that crops in over 2.5 lakh acres were submerged throughout the State due heavy rain but the water had receded significantly.

He told a news conference here that preliminary information received from field staff suggested no major damage to crop anywhere. Mainly nurseries and horticulture crops in over 8,000 acres were damaged by strong winds. The damage to horticulture crop included banana plantations in over 6,500 acres.

Mr. Reddy said a clear picture on the actual extent of loss would emerge in a couple of days after teams sent to rain-affected areas submit their reports.

The Government had already ordered release of seedlings with 75 per cent subsidy for affected farmers to enable them take up re-sowing operations.

A seed subsidy of Rs. 1,500 per hectare would also be given to them. The Minister added that 1.46 lakh quintals of seed, was positioned in all the districts. It would be distributed at subsidy wherever nurseries were damaged. Fertilizers and other agricultural inputs were also kept ready for distribution on demand.

Gain for farmers

On the overall agricultural scene on account of rain, he said the farming community had gained on the whole. But the farmers continued to suffer under the dry spell in Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur districts. There was no problem in Prakasam and Nellore although they did not receive much rainfall.

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