Rayagada: Cotton farmers in the district are a distressed lot as cotton crop in the district has sustained huge loss due the cyclonic storm Titli and subsequent flood last month.
Preliminary assessment estimated that 12,000 hectares have been adversely affected by the storm and rain during 11 to 14 October. Moreover, at least 80,000 quintal of cotton seeds have been affected, reports said.
The report came after the agriculture department along with the revenue department assessed the damage in 837 villages under the 118 gram panchayats and three ULBs of the district.
According to officials, the agriculture department had brought 35,170 hectares of land under cotton cultivation this year. The department had anticipated 5.25 lakh quintals in whole of the district.
However, the loss in 12,000 hectares has put the farmers in a state of huge loss. The worst sufferers are cotton farmers from Gunupur in which 24,500 hectares of land were utilised for cotton cultivation.
While there are over 23,000 cotton growers are there in the district, only 2,190 farmers have been registered in the Electronic National Agricultural Market (E-Nam).
Taking the ignorance seriously, Rayagada district collector directed the agriculture officials and other concern departments to spread awareness among farmers and register more number of cotton growers.
District Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar ordered the agriculture officials to raise the registration up to 15,000 by 30 November.
Meanwhile, the district administration planned to open market yards for the smooth procurement of the produce. Steps were taken to open six additional temporary markets yards as cotton growers of Narayanpatna and Bandugaon of Koraput district and Kotagarh in Kandhamal district will bring their produce for procurement.
The minimum support price (MSP) of cotton has been fixed at Rs 5,450 for the long staple seed cotton and Rs 5,150 for the medium staple length variety.
PNN