Rain and winds destroy paddy crops on verge of harvest in Vriddhachalam

CHENNAI: Strong winds and heavy rain on Sunday wreaked havoc on the paddy crops in Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district, which were on the verge of harvest, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

The intense weather conditions caused the plants to bend and fall, causing significant financial loss for the farmers.

The affected ryots have invested between Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per acre in cultivating the 'kuruvai' ('short term') paddy crops.

The paddy, grown across thousands of acres in villages including Gopalapuram, Keenanur, Kammapuram, and Siruvarapur under the Kammapuram Panchayat Union, was nearing harvest with full pods being visible.

Additionally, as the fields have been inundated, the risk of sprouting has risen.

In this situation, the farmers have urged the district administration, the agriculture department, and the revenue department to conduct an immediate and thorough survey of the damage caused and to provide adequate compensation to mitigate their losses.