Andhra Pradesh crop damage from cyclones Arnab and Murasu has extended across 4,61,194 hectares of agricultural land and 29,960 hectares of horticultural land, with the state government directing officials to complete pending field assessments and ensure that no eligible farmer is excluded from compensation.
Agriculture minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu issued the instructions during a teleconference with senior Agriculture and Horticulture Department officials on Tuesday. He called for a comprehensive field-level assessment and faster completion of the enumeration of losses caused by the two cyclones.
According to the figures reviewed by the officials, Cyclone Arnab damaged agricultural crops across 3,27,843 hectares in 15 districts. The affected area represented 30.05 per cent of the 10,90,933 hectares cultivated in those districts. The damage affected 5,23,136 farmers, with production losses estimated at 9,78,091 tonnes and financial losses calculated at Rs 2,392.84 crore.
Konaseema recorded the most severe impact from Arnab, with damage reported across 99.19 per cent of its cultivated area. The cyclone affected 94,808 farmers in the district, while estimated losses stood at Rs 348.88 crore. The compensation requirement for Arnab-related agricultural damage was assessed at Rs 815.57 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund and Rs 714.96 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund.
Cyclone Murasu damaged crops across another 1,33,351 hectares in nine districts, equivalent to 23.71 per cent of the 5,62,445 hectares cultivated in those areas. The damage affected 1,86,269 farmers. Production losses were estimated at 3,38,302 tonnes and financial losses at Rs 816.53 crore. The estimated compensation requirement was Rs 321.64 crore under the SDRF and Rs 266.67 crore under the NDRF.
The horticulture assessment showed a substantial difference in the pace of enumeration between the two cyclones. For Arnab, damage was reported across 23,211.48 hectares in 215 mandals and 1,310 villages spread across 15 districts. Enumeration had been completed for 99.24 per cent of the affected area, with details of 360 farmers still pending. Fourteen districts had achieved complete coverage, while Krishna district had recorded 86.67 per cent coverage.
For Murasu, horticultural damage was reported across 6,748.52 hectares in 106 mandals and 530 villages across eight districts. Enumeration had covered only 32.77 per cent of the affected area, leaving 4,536.79 hectares linked to 9,194 farmers pending assessment.
Atchannaidu directed officials to identify the pending cases district-wise and complete the enumeration quickly. The exercise will determine which affected farmers are included in the compensation process and how the state’s relief requirement is finalised under the SDRF and NDRF frameworks.
