The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Central team to assess crop loss’

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Friday, Feb 15, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Central team to assess crop loss’

Total damage in coastal district stands at Rs. 695 crore

CM for hassle-free crop insurance settlement
FCI urged to purchase discoloured paddy

HYDERABAD: The recent, non-seasonal rains caused by an upper air trough have caused a crop loss of Rs. 695 crore across six coastal districts.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy said here on Thursday that preliminary information received from Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore and Krishna districts showed that standing crop in 2.36 lakh hectares was damaged due to rain.

Briefing the media after reviewing the situation with Ministers and senior officials, the Chief Minister said he had appraised Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar about the rain damage and urged him to depute a Central team to tour the affected areas. He said Prakasam district was the worst hit with crop in 1.42 lakh hectares coming under rain water followed by Krishna (43,303 hectares), Guntur (29,006), Nellore (8,375), Srikakulam (7,910) and Visakhapatnam (3,080).

Major crops like tobacco, chillies, Bengal gram, red gram, groundnut and tobacco were damaged. He assured the affected farmers of all possible help and added that the Government would ensure that they got the insurance claims without any hassle. However, he said, many farmers had not opted for crop insurance, which had badly affected their prospects.

Input subsidy

But, he assured that the farmers would be given input subsidy. He said the Government could only try to enhance the crop loan for the Bengal gram and other pulses.

Dr. Reddy said three Ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao (Revenue), N. Raghuveera Reddy (Agriculture) and M. Venkatramana Rao (Ports) whom he deputed to tour the affected areas had briefed him about the crop loss. He said the Food Corporation of India officials had been urged to consider purchase of discoloured paddy while the Tobacco Board was asked to look into the plight of tobacco-growers.

Mr. Raghuveera Reddy, who was also present, made light of the tour of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu to Prakasam district .

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