Cyclone adds to paddy farmers woes

Cyclone and heavy rain played spoilsport with standing paddy crop in Tenali, Ponnur, Bapatla and Repalle sub-divisions (delta) in December and damaged standing crop in 60,850 hectares out of a total of 1,57,00 hectares.

The yield in the remaining area has also gone down, forcing ryots to bring substandard and discoloured paddy to the market.

The government recently opened 36 purchase centres, 28 centres by the State Civil Supplies Corporation and eight by the State Market Federation (Markfed), for purchasing discoloured and substandard paddy from farmers.

Despite the government's promise of helping cyclone-hit farmers, the centers are purchasing paddy from farmers at a rate between Rs 240-400 per quintal as against last year's Rs 650-700 per quintal.

The actual rate is determined by officials on the percentage of germination and discolouration in the crop.

The purchase centers procured 2,996.22 tonnes of paddy from farmers till February 5, and officials are unable to assess crop quantity, which remains to be purchased.

Farmers now cannot even dream of getting this year's minimum support prices (MSP) of Rs 580 per quintal for A-grade paddy, and of Rs 550 per quintal for common variety.

Farmers who raised pulses have seen mixed fortunes. Black gram, normally cultivated as second crop after paddy in the delta, was grown as first crop in many villages this season.

The cyclone almost washed out the first crop of black gram in about 20,000 hectares. The second crop is manifesting stunted growth. In all, farmers could harvest 10 per cent of last year's black gram turnout crop of 30,000 quintals.

New crop is fixed at Rs 1,200 per quintal by traders as against last year's Rs 1,800. Before the arrival of new crop, old black gram polished variety fetched ryots Rs 1,600 per quintal and common variety Rs 1,400.

Large-scale import of cheap black gram from Burma, as in the past, is obstructing the rise in price of domestic black gram.

Red gram and green gram crops grown traditionally in the uplands of Vinukonda and Narasaraoapet areas escaped the fury of cyclone.

One lakh quintals of red gram (together with crop from Telangana) is expected to reach the market. The farmers are paid Rs 1,750-1,800 per quintal for red gram as against last year's Rs 2,000.

Farmers hope for a further rise in the price as red gram crop harvested in Burma and Thailand has been rejected in the international market due to the presence of excess pesticide content in it.

Consequently, import of red gram into our market has come down drastically, paving way for a likely rise in the price of domestic red gram.

Farmers are happy with the price they are receiving for green gram at Rs 1,550 per quintal, the same as last year.

Total crop arrival is estimated at around 50,000 quintals.