Cyclone Murasu Threatens Telangana Crops As Farmers Hope For Good Prices

Cyclone Threat

Cyclonic storm Murasu is bringing rain forecasts to various districts of Telangana from Monday to Wednesday, causing worry for farmers with paddy and cotton crops. The six districts forecast to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall include Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Nagarkurnool, and Wanaparthy. Paddy crops are currently in stages ranging from harvest to pre-flowering, while cotton crops are nearing harvest.

Costs And Concerns

Farmers explain that rain causes rice panicles to soak and droop, requiring hired machines for longer periods and extra labor to clear water. Machine rental costs between ₹2,500 and ₹3,000 per hour, and soaked grains take double the time to harvest and lose weight during drying. Sankranthi Narasiah, a paddy farmer from Lalapuram village in Khammam, warns that wind and rain at this stage will cause great loss. Donthu Rambabu, joint secretary of the Telangana Rythu Sangham, adds that discolored grains fetch lower prices.

Official Response

Agriculture Department officials have put out an alert and directed teams to provide tarpaulin sheets to protect harvested grains. Mahabubnagar District Marketing Officer G. Balamani notes that some farmers are using tarpaulin sheets to dry grains instead of roads. Meanwhile, private buyers are purchasing produce directly from farms as demand rises, leaving fewer supplies at official procurement centres.

Context

Cyclones developing in the Bay of Bengal frequently cause unseasonal rainfall across southern Indian states during the monsoon transition periods. Such sudden weather events pose a major risk to standing agricultural produce just weeks before harvesting is completed. Farmers often rely on timely government warnings and protective gear like tarpaulins to limit crop losses during these emergencies.