Cyclone Montha threatens paddy harvest in Anakapalli district

Farmers cultivating paddy over 1.38 lakh acres, along with other seasonal crops in Anakapalli district, are bracing for the impact of Cyclone Montha, which is expected to make landfall between the Kakinada and Visakhapatnam coasts on the night of October 28.

The primary concern among the farming community is that the current kharif season is in its final stage, with paddy nearing harvest, making the standing crops highly vulnerable to cyclonic winds. Cultivation is concentrated in mandals such as Ravikamatham, Madugula, Yelamanchili, Cheedikada, Buchayyapeta, and K. Kotapadu.

“Anakapalli is the only district in our Visakhapatnam region — comprising Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, and Alluri Sitarama Raju — where paddy cultivation is extensive. The situation is unpredictable due to the cyclone winds,” said farmer P. Sanyasi Naidu of Cheedikada.

The cyclone’s predicted track also worries farmers in parts of the Alluri Sitharama Raju district, said Killo Santosh, a tribal farmer from Paderu.

Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan held emergency meetings with officials from the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments over the weekend. She directed all departments to take every possible step to mitigate cyclone-related losses, instructing officials to counsel farmers on preventive measures. The Collector also ordered that loss assessments be expedited and compensation disbursed promptly as per government norms.

Winds and rainfall are anticipated to begin on Sunday night and continue until the storm completes landfall on October 29. Consequently, officials and the public have been placed on high alert to implement precautionary measures.