[1]Floods along the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, caused by cyclonic storm Nilam earlier this month, have partly-damaged some 20 per cent of the standing cotton crop. This season’s cotton output, from the southern state, will be lower by 10 per cent, according to an industry body.
Cotton is grown on 45 lakh acres across the state, according to data available with the Andhra Pradesh Cotton Association. Farmers, ginners, cotton seed crushing units, traders, processing factories and spinning mills are members of the association.
“Estimates suggest that Andhra Pradesh was to produce one-crore bales this cotton season. Output will be lower this time because floods have partly-damaged the cotton crop in the state. Output will be lower by 10 lakh bales,” said an officer with the Andhra Pradesh Cotton Association, requesting anonymity.
The Andhra Pradesh government estimates an over Rs. 1,700 crore loss to agriculture and horticulture crops in the state, from floods that hit 19 districts after the storm, according to news reports.
‘Standing agriculture crops, mainly paddy and cotton, were the worst hit in 7.72 lakh hectares causing a monetary loss of Rs. 1,608 crore while horticulture crops in 52,000 hectares suffered damage resulting in a loss of Rs. 102 crore,’ the state’s finance minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy was quoted as saying in an NDTV report.
Links:
[1] http://103.241.136.51/cotton2jpgcropdisplayjpg-833