Guntur: Chilli crop withering in over 1,500 acres

Guntur : Chilli crop has already withered in over 1,500 acres due to shortage of irrigation water supply, deficit rainfall and adverse seasonal conditions in the erstwhile Guntur district. If same situation continues for ten more days, chilli crop and other crops will be completely damaged.

According to the Horticulture department officials, the chilli crop is withering in 1,500 acres. However, the unofficial sources say that crop withering is more. Following orders of the Horticulture commissionerate, the district officials have sent the crop withering data to the government. Farmers in Prathipadu, Ponnuru, Cherbolu,Amaravati, Krosuru, Sattenapalli, Vinukonda, Dachepalli, Narasaraopet, Gurazala, Bapatla, Kolluru, Kollipara mandals worry about the crop withering.

Though the government is releasing water from Krishna River, the farmers say that it is not sufficient. Though the government is releasing water from Pulichintala Project, Krishna barrage and Pattiseema Project, the farmers are using motors and diverting water to agriculture fields to save standing crops. At present water in Nagarjunasagar reservoir is used to meet the drinking water needs.

A chilli farmer T Sivaiah said, “If the same situation continues, the chilli crop will be damaged due to withering. We will incur losses due to crop damage.