COIMBATORE: More than 6,000 plantain crops cultivated across several acres in the Pollachi region near Coimbatore were damaged after heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed the area on Tuesday night.
Following a prolonged dry spell, the sudden and unseasonal downpour, coupled with gusty winds, caused extensive damage to banana plantations, particularly in Chikkarayapuram panchayat near Pollachi.
Over 2,000 plantains were destroyed in a farm owned by Sabari at Karumandagoundanur, while another 1,500 were flattened in a neighbouring field. In total, plantains raised on nearly six acres were affected.
“The crop was just two weeks away from harvest. The strong winds have caused a loss of around Rs 2.5 lakh,” said farmer Rasu, who lost nearly 500 ‘nendran’ variety plantains in his field at Kovilpalayam near Pollachi.
Farmers said the cost of cultivating bananas is as high as Rs 2 lakh per acre and estimated the overall loss in the region to exceed Rs 15 lakh. Many of the damaged crops were of the ‘nendran’ variety and were nearing harvest, compounding the financial setback.
The affected farmers have urged horticulture department officials to conduct immediate field inspections, assess the extent of the damage and facilitate prompt compensation from the government. The strong winds also led to sporadic uprooting of coconut trees in isolated pockets, they added.