Farmers seek relief as gale destroys banana plantations

Due to the rain coupled with strong winds, the banana plantations in the region especially at Allur in Srirangam, the stretch between Panayapuram and Vayalur, the Thottiyam- Manachanallur stretch and Lalgudi were extensively damaged. The gale has damaged their crops in an area of at least 150 acres. 

“At least 50,000 banana plants have been damaged and most of them were at a mature stage. Since it needs at least one more month for full growth, the farmers face a complete loss,” said Puliyur A Nagarajan, state president of TMC (Farmers wing). 

As Cauvery, the major irrigation source, had dried up, the farmers struggled to bring their crop to the mature stage. Each farmer had spent at least Rs 2 to 4 lakh per acre to cultivate the crop and the money had gone waste, claimed the farmers.

The farmers on Monday met Collector K Rajamani with their damaged crop and appealed to him to initiate steps to assess the damage and distribute at least Rs 3 lakh per acre as compensation. 

Ayilai Siva Sooriyan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, recalled when faced with a similar situation in 2013 and 2015, the department concerned had taken count of the fallen trees and evaluated the loss assuring compensation, though funds have not been provided to the farmers as yet.