Fresh rain and wind may increase crop losses for Uttar Pradesh farmers
A new spell of adverse weather across the state could impact more farmers than the unseasonal rains seen in September, according to Hindustan Times.
A new spell of rain and strong winds across much of Uttar Pradesh is expected to hit a large number of farmers, according to a report by Hindustan Times. The weather disturbance has occurred during the paddy harvesting season and the start of rabi sowing.
A senior agriculture department official said the number of farmers reporting crop losses is expected to be significantly higher this time due to the wider geographical spread of the weather. Concerns include flattened paddy crops, soaked harvested produce, and waterlogging in fields.
The official noted that the rainfall has also impacted rabi sowing preparations and early-sown crops such as mustard and potato. Reports of damage have emerged from western, central, and eastern parts of the state.
During the previous spell of unseasonal weather in late September, approximately six lakh insured farmers filed complaints under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. The department found around 5.50 lakh of those farmers eligible for compensation.
In the previous instance, Lalitpur had the highest number of eligible farmers at 2.80 lakh. Other districts with significant eligible farmers included Mahoba with 98,000, Jhansi with 55,000, Mathura with 48,000, Jalaun with 44,000, and Mirzapur with 17,000.
The official stated that field surveys will be conducted to assess losses once complaints are received. While insured farmers receive compensation through the scheme, the government provides relief to uninsured farmers through the state disaster relief fund based on specific rules.