Farmers Suffer Heavy Crop Loss After Unseasonal Rains Across Telangana

• Telangana farmers suffer heavy crop losses
• Unseasonal rains damage paddy at centres
• Delayed grain procurement worries farmers

Farmers across several districts in Telangana are facing severe hardship after continuous unseasonal rains damaged large quantities of paddy and maize stored at procurement centres and market yards. Waterlogged grain heaps and soaked sacks have left many farmers in distress as delayed procurement added to their burden.

Heavy rain that lashed districts including Medak, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Mahabubnagar, Jagitial and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri turned procurement centres into pools of stagnant water. In many places farmers rushed overnight to cover grain stocks and prevent floodwater from entering storage areas, but their efforts failed as rain continued relentlessly.

Several farmers blamed officials for delays in lifting grain from procurement centres. Many said lorries had not arrived for days, forcing them to keep their produce exposed to changing weather conditions. In Toopran alone more than 1000 quintals of paddy bags were soaked after waiting nearly two weeks for transportation.

The situation turned more difficult due to a shortage of tarpaulins at many centres. Farmers said they spent thousands of rupees drying wet grain multiple times after repeated rainfall. Procurement staff reportedly insisted on acceptable moisture levels before purchasing the produce, leaving farmers anxious about further delays.

In Choutuppal market yard some farmers said their grain had been lying there for over 45 days without proper weighing or procurement. Repeated rain damaged the stocks again and again, increasing labour expenses and uncertainty over payments.

Farmers in Mahabubnagar, Wanaparthy and Nagarkurnool districts also suffered losses after paddy and maize stored at centres were drenched in rainwater. Officials shifted more than 600 tonnes of wet grain to boiled rice mills in some affected regions to reduce losses.

At several market yards in Karimnagar and Peddapalli districts farmers were seen removing floodwater around grain heaps using buckets and containers. Angry over procurement delays many staged protests on roads demanding immediate action from authorities.

Though the government earlier assured that wet grain would also be purchased, farmers said they were not receiving clear confidence from local procurement officials. Many fear that continued delays and strict moisture conditions may further increase their financial losses.