Rain struck kharif crops on 1.38 lakh hectares

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 22

Standing kharif crops on over 1.38 lakh hectares (3.45 lakh acres) have been damaged in the state due to heavy rain last week, according to a survey conducted by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department.

Of this, Ambala district has suffered the maximum crop damage with 58,153 hectares in the district affected by rain.

Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri come next with 30,280 hectares, followed by Fatehabad at 25,240 hectares and Kurukshetra at 10,128 hectares.

According to a tentative report of crop damage prepared by the department, the maximum damage had been caused to paddy crop, followed by sugarcane and cotton.

The report said up to 25 per cent damage had occurred to paddy crop on 40,207 hectares, 25 per cent to 50 per cent on 4,211 hectares, 50 per cent to 75 per cent on 4,544 hectares and 75 per cent to 100 per cent on 6,375 hectares.

The report said sugarcane crop had suffered up to 25 per cent loss on 9,513 hectares, 25 per cent to 50 per cent on 125 hectares, 50 per cent to 75 per cent on 55 hectares and 75 per cent to 100 per cent on 85 hectares.

The report said up to 25 per cent loss had been caused to cotton crop on 33,600 hectares, of which 16,000 hectares were in Fatehabad district and 16,200 hectares in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts.

The report said cotton crop on 2,360 hectares had suffered 25 per cent to 50 per cent damage and 50 per cent to 75 per cent damage had occurred on 10 hectares.

The report said damage to guar crop had been witnessed on 13,582 hectares, with the loss being up to 25 per cent.

The report said maize crop had been damaged on 11,662 hectares, of which 9,609 hectares had suffered damage of between 75 per cent and 100 per cent.

The report said in case of bajra, damage had been caused on 9,149 hectares, of which 8,105 hectares had suffered damage of up to 25 per cent.

The report said in case of jowar, the crop had witnessed damage on 2,291 hectares, of which 1,100 hectares had suffered up to 25 per cent.

The report said kharif pulses had been damaged on 624 hectares, of which 340 hectares had witnessed up to 25 per cent damage. The report said kharif oilseed had suffered up to 25 per cent damage on three hectares.

Sources said farmers insured under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana would get their claims from insurance companies based on damage while those not insured would be dependent on the government’s help.

While insurance companies paid claims even for 10 per cent damage to crop, the government did not consider damage of up to 25 per cent for the purpose of compensation, said the sources.