Vijayawada: In the wake of crop damage caused by Cyclone Montha across several districts, state agriculture minister K Atchannaidu held a teleconference with joint directors of agriculture on Thursday, directing them to take swift measures to reduce crop loss and support farmers.

The minister said that the government is fully committed to safeguarding farmers’ interests and ensuring they receive the due reward for their hard work. He instructed officials to coordinate with departments of agriculture, horticulture, groundwater and meteorology to implement effective crop protection strategies.

Atchannaidu directed mandal-level agricultural officers to conduct accurate crop damage assessments and initiate immediate relief measures. He advised officials to engage agricultural scientists in areas severely affected by the cyclone to adopt scientific crop protection techniques. The Minister also sought comprehensive reports from district officials on farmer losses to expedite government assistance.

“Farmers’ welfare is the top priority of the coalition government. Every grain of paddy is valuable, and officials must act responsibly to ensure farmers do not incur further losses,” he asserted.

During his recent visit to flood-affected paddy fields in Krishna district, Atchannaidu said farmers expressed concern that if their crop loss was officially recorded, they might not be permitted to sell their paddy.

He clarified that necessary instructions were issued to both the agriculture and civil supplies departments to prevent such issues, noting that similar problems had arisen earlier for farmers who received compensation under SDRF relief.

He urged farmers in the cyclone-affected Krishna, Godavari, and Delta areas to follow scientific methods to minimise paddy crop damage. With heavy winds and rains submerging paddy fields at flowering, milky and harvesting stages, he advised farmers to immediately drain stagnant water through internal canals from fields in the flowering to milky stages, spray 400 ml Hexaconazole or 200 ml Propiconazole per acre to prevent the spread of sheath blight.

“If feasible, lift and tie lodged crops upright to facilitate drying and apply 200 ml Propiconazole per acre even for standing crops to prevent grain discoloration and fungal infections,” he said.

He said for crops in the ripening or harvesting stage, drain water promptly; if sprouting is observed in harvested grains, 5 per cent saline solution (50 g salt per litre of water) should be sprayed to reduce sprouting and discoloration. Harvested paddy heaps should be covered with tarpaulin to protect them from rain. In case sun drying isn’t possible for 2–3 days, one kg salt and 20 kg dry straw should be mixed per quintal of paddy to prevent sprouting and colour change.

Minister Atchannaidu reiterated that farmers’ diligence, combined with prompt official action and scientific practices, would help mitigate the impact of the cyclone and safeguard the state’s agricultural productivity.