Cyclone Murasu | Paddy farmers in Telangana fear crop damage amid high market prices

The rain forecast under the impact of cyclonic storm Murasu (war drum) in various districts of Telangana from Monday to Wednesday (November 2 to 4) is giving jitters to farmers whose paddy and cotton crops are in various stages of cultivation.

According to farmers, when rice panicles get soaked in rain and droops, machines used for harvesting paddy have to be hired for some more time, which results in spending more money. The soaked produce has to be dried, which may result in loss of some weight.

Labour also need to be hired to channel water away from damaged paddy crops. And those in the pre-flowering stage might suffer greater damage.

High prices

Currently, paddy crops are in various stages — depending on the time of sowing — ranging from harvest, nearing harvest and pre-flowering stage. The cyclonic storm is posing a threat to farmers at a time when they are getting relatively more prices for harvest — ranging from ₹3,500 to ₹4,500 per quintal of fresh produce, against around ₹2,900 (MSP and ₹500 bonus for fine rice) of dried crop earlier. Cotton crops, which are nearing harvest, may suffer similar damage.

Telangana paddy farmers anxious over rain forecast

Sankranthi Narasiah, a paddy farmer from Lalapuram village, Konijerla mandal, Khammam, said that his and other crops around him are in various stages — ranging from pre-flowering to panicle formation. “Wind and rain in this stage will cause us great loss,” said Mr. Narsaiah. Khammam is one of the six districts forecast to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Monday (November 2, 2026). Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy are the remaining five. Muralidhar Reddy from Balanagar in Mahabubnagar said that rain for standing crops is bad news and will lead to damage.

Paddy harvesting machine charges

Donthu Rambabu, joint secretary, Telangana Rythu Sangham, said that it costs between ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 to hire machines for an hour to harvest paddy. “When crops get soaked in rains, panicles may drop into rain water which stagnates in farms. A machine which takes one hour to harvest grains over an acre, will take two hours. This means farmers have to spend double the amount. Besides, the grains have to be dried, which leads to loss of some weight,” said Mr. Rambabu. M Sudhakar Reddy, vice-president of the Sangham, said that grains which change colour appreciates lesser price.

Agriculture Department officials said that they have sounded an alert to farmers and directed officials concerned to provide them with resources like tarpaulin sheets to protect harvested grains. As the demand for paddy has risen, relatively less farm produce is reaching paddy procurement centres; they are picked up right from the farms by private persons.

Tarpaulin sheets used to dry paddy harvest

Mahabubnagar District Marketing Officer G. Balamani said that a few farmers have spread the grains on tarpaulin sheets rather than pouring them onto roads for drying.