Floods damaged crops on 13,000 acres in Andhra’s Srikakulam, says Agriculture Department

Floods that swept through Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh have left a swathe of farmland drenched, with the Agriculture Department confirming that roughly 13,000 acres of standing paddy have been water‑logged and turned black. The loss, officials said, could have a cascading effect on the state’s rice output, which already faces pressure from erratic monsoons and rising input costs. While the immediate priority is to drain the fields, authorities are also racing to mitigate long‑term damage through a coordinated response that includes the use of aerial technology..

Joint Director of Agriculture for the district, Dr. Ramesh Kumar, told reporters that the waterlogging began after three consecutive days of heavy rain, which caused the Kalinga River to overflow its banks. “The standing water has not only submerged the seedlings but also created an anaerobic environment that turns the healthy green shoots into a black, charred mass,” he explained..

The phenomenon, he warned, can trigger root rot and fungal infections that render the crop unrecoverable even after the water recedes. The department’s preliminary assessment, based on satellite imagery and on‑ground surveys, indicates that the affected acreage accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the district’s total paddy cultivation area for the current season. Local farmers, many of whom depend solely on this harvest for their livelihood, expressed deep concern over the potential loss of income..

“We planted these fields with the hope of a good yield after last year’s drought,” said Rani Devi, a smallholder from the village of Narasannapeta. “Now the water has turned everything black, and we don’t know what will happen next.” In response, the state government has mobilised a multi‑agency task force that includes the Department of Agriculture, the Irrigation Department, and the Disaster Management Authority. Their first order of business is to pump out the standing water using portable diesel‑powered pumps and, where feasible, to open sluice gates in nearby canals to expedite drainage..

The operation, officials said, is expected to take several days, depending on weather conditions and the availability of equipment. Once the fields are dry enough, the department plans to deploy agricultural drones to spray a blend of nutrients and bio‑fertilisers designed to rejuvenate the damaged paddy. Kumar highlighted that the drones, equipped with precision‑spraying technology, can cover large areas quickly while minimizing waste..

“We are preparing a nutrient mix that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients, along with a fungal inhibitor,” he said. “The goal is to give the surviving plants a chance to recover and to boost the yield of any new sowing that may be possible later in the season.” The use of drones marks a relatively new approach in Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural toolkit, a move the state has championed over the past few years to modernise farming practices. According to the Agriculture Department’s recent report, drone‑assisted spraying has reduced pesticide usage by up to 30 per cent in pilot projects, while improving the uniformity of application..

However, critics argue that the technology remains costly and may be inaccessible to the majority of small‑scale farmers unless subsidised or provided through cooperative schemes. To address this concern, the state has announced a subsidy programme that will cover up to 70 per cent of the cost of drone services for farmers whose lands have been confirmed as severely damaged. The scheme, slated to launch next week, will be administered through local agricultural extension offices, which will verify eligibility and coordinate with private drone operators..

“We want to ensure that the benefits of this technology reach the most vulnerable cultivators,” said Deputy Agriculture Minister Sunita Rao. Meanwhile, the central government’s Ministry of Agriculture has pledged additional financial assistance to the affected district. A special relief fund of INR 150 crore has been earmarked for immediate relief measures, including the provision of seeds, saplings, and low‑cost irrigation equipment..

The fund will also support training programmes aimed at teaching farmers how to manage waterlogged soils and adopt resilient cropping patterns in the future. Experts caution, however, that the mere application of nutrients may not be enough to restore the lost productivity fully. Anil Sharma, a crop scientist at Andhra University, pointed out that prolonged waterlogging can lead to soil structure degradation, reduced aeration, and the buildup of toxic compounds such as hydrogen sulphide..

“If the soil health is compromised, even a healthy seed will struggle to establish,” he warned. Sharma recommended that, alongside nutrient sprays, a regimen of soil aeration and organic matter incorporation be implemented to rebuild the field’s fertility. The district’s farmers’ association has called for a transparent monitoring mechanism to track the progress of the relief efforts..

In a statement released on Tuesday, the association urged the authorities to publish regular updates on the volume of water pumped out, the acreage treated with drones, and the expected timelines for re‑planting. “We need accountability to ensure that the promised aid reaches us promptly,” the statement read, adding that community volunteers are ready to assist in field assessments. As the monsoon season continues, the risk of further rainfall adds a layer of uncertainty to the recovery plan..

Meteorological forecasts from the India Meteorological Department indicate a moderate chance of additional showers over the next fortnight, which could impede drainage operations. In anticipation, the state has pre‑positioned additional pumps and is coordinating with the National Disaster Response Force to stand by for rapid deployment should the situation worsen. The broader implications of the flood‑induced crop damage extend beyond Srikakulam, with market analysts projecting a modest.