Cotton farmers suffer damages due to cyclone Nivar

Some of the farmers said that the crops were discoloured and hence unusable, others said the cyclone caused a delay in procurement, drenching cotton bales in the market yard itself.

Cotton crops in the Nandigama mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district suffered severe damage in the last few days as cyclone Nivam wreaked havoc in the southern parts of the country.

Floodwater enters the residential areas after heavy rains after the landfall of Cyclone Nivar in Chennai on Thursday. (ANI)

Some of the farmers said that the crops were discoloured and hence unusable, others said the cyclone caused a delay in procurement, drenching cotton bales in the market yard itself.

“Our cotton plants are all damaged. They are all discoloured now and can no longer be used. Procurement of cotton bales was delayed in the market yard due to the cyclone and many were drenched in rainwater,” a farmer told ANI.

“We appeal to the government to procure our cotton and give us proper remuneration for the losses that we have suffered,” another farmer said.

According to state minister Kurasala Kannababu, about 30,000 hectares of agricultural crops and 1,300 hectares of horticultural crops suffered damages due to the cyclone.

Meanwhile, other parts of the state witnessed heavy rains and waterlogging. In another incident, a massive tree fell on an animal shelter hut in the Pulakuntapalli village of Ramasamudram Mandal due to heavy winds. Paddy, tomato, cauliflower and other horticultural fields have also been damaged in the mandal, causing heavy loss to the farmers.