Date:08/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/08/stories/2007100852290300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

When rain spells doom

S. Harpal Singh

The negative side: Cotton bolls that got blackened because of rainfall being shown by a farmer in his fields near Adilabad.

ADILABAD: Rainfall over the last few days is proving to be a wet blanket for farmers in Adilabad district who were in high spirits as bumper crops were forecast. An estimated 25 per cent of cotton, soyabean, maize, green and black gram crops that were ready for harvesting will be lost because of the rainfall due to successive depressions in the Bay of Bengal.

Though the intensity or quantum of rainfall was less, the agriculture department has assessed that crop loss will be noticed across all the mandals in the district. However, the damage seems to be more intensive in Adilabad, Boath and Utnoor divisions as these places have experienced more number of rainy days since the second half of September.

Cotton and soyabean farmers will bear the brunt of the loss because not only do they lose on yield but, the poor quality produce will attract a lower price. Even before the produce has started arriving in notable quantities, there is speculation on the price.

If rainfall occurs at the time of picking, it results in cotton bolls and new flush dropping down.

The bolls start decaying and get blackened because of heavy moisture in the air. The cotton that is already exposed as the bolls burst gets spoiled as it captures the moisture from the rain. This decreases the quality of the produce.

In the case of soyabean, the pods burst as raindrops hit the crop thereby scattering the seeds. The crop that has already been harvested takes in the moisture and the seeds get swollen and become heavier.