Enhance crop loss aid to Rs 37,600/acre, urge farmers

TIRUCHY: Delta farmers on Tuesday termed the State government's announcement of Rs 20,000 per hectare as compensation for crop loss caused by Cyclone Ditwah “inadequate”, and urged a revision to at least Rs 37,600 per acre, citing high cultivation cost as of date.

Even though farmers welcomed the State government's announcement on Tuesday extending aid to crops hit by North East Monsoon rains, they pointed out that the figure arrived at hasn't been revised according to the latest cost per acre for cultivation, blindly following what was fixed earlier by the previous AIADMK regime.

Farmers lamented that the compensation amount remained unchanged from the previous AIADMK regime.

“Seven years ago, the cultivation cost was Rs 28,500 per acre. This year, it has risen to Rs 37,600 as per the government’s own estimate and loan calculations. On what basis has the compensation been fixed at the old rate?” asked Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

He urged the state to revise the aid in line with the steep rise in input costs and issue a fresh announcement so that farmers can recover at least part of their losses.

Vimalnathan also appealed to the government to press the Union government to declare Tamil Nadu a disaster-hit region and secure additional relief funds. “Elected representatives must raise the issue in Parliament and insist on enhanced compensation,” he said.