Mon Dec 02 01:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Heavy Rains Threaten Andhra Pradesh Rice Harvest
**East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh:** Farmers in East Godavari district are facing a crisis as heavy rains, brought on by the influence of Cyclone Phethai, threaten their rice harvest. Days of relentless rainfall have left fields waterlogged and thousands of metric tons of rice already harvested and stored in temporary stacks at risk of spoilage.
According to the District Agriculture Officer, V. Boosubabu, over 90,000 metric tons of rice are currently stored in the district, with an estimated 50,000 acres of ready-to-harvest crops affected by the downpour. While some rice was successfully transported to mills on Sunday, approximately 40,000 metric tons remain vulnerable in 12 mandals including P. Gannavaram, Amalapuram, Kothapet, Ambajipeta, Ainavilli, and Mummidivaram.
The downpour has caused flooding in many areas, with water seeping into rice stacks and soaking the grain. Farmers report that drying the affected rice will take at least four days, and damaged roads are further delaying transportation. The prolonged exposure to moisture risks mold and sprouting, causing significant losses. The added time and effort required to harvest waterlogged fields increases labor costs significantly.
Farmers are expressing their distress, highlighting the increased expenditure due to heavy rainfall and the recurring losses faced during harvest season. They are appealing for government subsidies on storage materials like tarpaulins to mitigate future losses. One farmer, Manne Srinivas, stated the high cost of protective tarpaulins and the urgent need for government assistance. Another farmer, Chuttugulla Yedukondalu, lamented the yearly losses due to unpredictable weather patterns and the escalating costs of cultivation. The situation underscores the vulnerability of farmers to climate change and the need for effective support mechanisms.
First Piper 