Andhra Pradesh - Eluru   

Paddy growers hit hard in West Godavari

—Photo A.V.G. Prasad

damage control: Farm workers dry up paddy stacks at Kovalli in West Godavari district on Monday.

ELURU: The heavy rain that lashed West Godavari district for three days from November 21 has delivered a deadly blow to M. Peddi Raju, a tenant farmer from Kovvali in Denduluru mandal of West Godavari district. He raised paddy in 20 acres in the kharif with an agreement of giving the landlord 15 bags per acre towards lease. “The rains hit me below the belt at a time when I was all set to reap the crop”, Mr. Peddi Raju, laments. “I am now left to the mercy of traders and the landlord. I don’t know how to bailout myself from the vortex of debts”, bemoans Mr. Raju, who took a loan of Rs. 2 lakh from private lenders with Rs. 2 interest to invest in the kharif operations. The feeling of Mr. Peddi Raju echoes the plight of almost all the paddy growers in West Godavari district who were hit hard by the rains.

The district has registered an average rainfall of 11.15 cm on November 21, 11.22 cm on 22 and 7.79 cm on 23 consecutively. Polavaram, Tadepalligudem (2.2cm each) and Denduluru (217cm) were the worst affected since they received the highest rainfall during the three days. In many areas, particularly in the low-lying areas, the harvested crop was seen afloat in a sheet of water and grains sprouting. The farmers have engaged tractors to salvage the paddy stacks out of the water-filled fields for drying and threshing.

The official machinery is yet to come to grips with the damage caused by the rains. The district Collector A. Vani Prasad has constituted mandal-level teams with the personnel from the Revenue and Agriculture Departments for assessment of crop damage. The unofficial estimates made by the peasant organisations suggested that the damage was reported in more than 2 lakh acres of paddy fields in both delta and the upland parts. M. V. Suryanarayana Raju of Rytu Karyacharana Samithi said 15 per cent of the total produce was subjected to soaking as more than 50 per cent of the standing crop was found lodging, making the grains susceptible to be having higher moisture levels. Mr. Raju said the millers were complaining of the grains having moisture levels ranging between 25-30 per cent. “If the moisture levels in the paddy are more, it will find no takers in the market”, Mr. Suryanarayana Raju said.

The Swarna (7029) variety, which was grown all over the district, was prone to lodging and higher incidence of moisture levels.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Paddy growers hit hard in West Godavari
Rytu Sangham meet today
Palm oil growers seek fair deal
SHG women’s novel tribute to YSR

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu