Assess crop damage accurately & quickly: Minister Chandramohan Reddy

Srikakulam: Enumerate crop loss accurately and quickly, Agriculture Minister S Chandramohan Reddy directed the officials after reviewing the crop loss with them at Srikakulam on Saturday.

He told them to complete the enumeration of crop loss across the district in three days and send a report to the government.

The officials explained to the Minister that paddy, cotton, maize and sugarcane crops in about 3.50 lakh acres in 13 mandals were damaged.
Horticulture crops like banana, papaya, vegetables, cashew and coconut crops were damaged in 32,000 acres, out of which coconut crop loss was about in 25,000 acres in Uddanam area alone.

For enumeration of crop damage on a quick pace, a total of 455 officials and staff have been appointed from Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, in addition to the existing staff at Srikakulam, the Minister explained.

He announced a crop loss of Rs 1,000 for each coconut tree and Rs 20,000 per hectare of cashew and mango gardens, Rs 25,000 per hectare of banana crop will be paid to farmers as input subsidy.

The floods to Vamshadhara River had inundated paddy crop in about 25,000 hectares in Srikakulam, Narasannapeta and Amudalavalasa assembly segments, the district agriculture officials told the Minister.

All allied departments staff should also involve in crop loss enumeration for quick completion, Minister Chandramohan Reddy directed.

Commissioners for agriculture, horticulture, secretaries and district level officials attended.