Srikakulam Flood Crop Damage Assessed On 13,000 Acres So Far

The Agriculture Department is still enumerating flood-related crop losses in Srikakulam district, where damage has been assessed on 13,000 acres so far, Joint Director of Agriculture Y.V. Murali Krishna told The Hindu.

Enumeration expected in a few days

Mr. Murali Krishna said the department expected to finish counting the losses in a couple of days, while noting that crops in some areas could still survive.

Mr. Murali Krishna and other senior officials have been visiting flood-affected areas of Burja, Amadalavalasa, Polaki, Santhabommali and other mandals.

The first round of inspection in Allina and other villages of Burja mandal was completed on Monday (September 28, 2026).

The inspections are significant because the department is assessing both the extent of crop damage and the possibility of remedial measures where fields can still recover.

Paddy damage linked to waterlogging

“Standing paddy crop got damaged due to sulfide caused due to the continuous logging of roots in flood waters.

They turned dark and black in colour.

Yielding will be affected with this damage.

The agriculture department can take up remedial measures by providing nutrients and fertilisers if the water fully recedes at the earliest.

We will use drones to distribute nutrients and fertilisers to enable crops to get back its strength to some extent,” said Mr. Murali Krishna.

Agriculture scientists of Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, and the Naira Agriculture College in Srikakulam are expected to make recommendations to the department shortly.

Those recommendations are expected at the suggestion of Srikakulam Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar.

Collector to send note to government

The Collector told The Hindu that a detailed note on the crop damage and remedial measures would be sent to the government after the enumeration was completed in a few days.

The proposed note will follow the department’s enumeration and is expected to cover both crop damage and remedial measures.

MARKFED Director Anepu Ramakrishna Naidu asked the Collector to recommend input subsidy for farmers, because a majority of them had not opted for crop insurance.

“The input subsidy in the form of financial assistance will enable farmers to go for new crops in the rabi season.

We also request sanction of the input subsidy for partially damaged crops also,” he added.

The request for input subsidy has therefore been placed before the Collector alongside the ongoing assessment of crop loss and possible recovery measures.

Published - September 29, 2026 02:00 pm IST.

Source: The Hindu