Pongal to be costlier as cane, turmeric, banana lost in cyclone
Pongal next year might be a costly affair as the cyclone has badly affected the cultivation of sugarcane, banana and turmeric across the Delta region. The situation has led to farmers demanding for a official assessment of the damage and compensation for the same at the earliest.
By : migrator
Update: 2018-11-18 00:02 GMT
Thiruchirapalli
“In Tiruchy and Karur districts, banana cultivation was under taken in around 10,000 acres. Gaja has destroyed at least one lakh trees,” said the TMC farmers wing State president and Banana farmers association president, Puliyur A Nagarajan.
Sugarcane crops cultivated in Tiruchy, Karur, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts were also uprooted due to the strong winds.
“These crops have been cultivated for Pongal. But now, the cyclone has damaged them. The supply of these essential products during Pongal would be based on the requirement. However with the cultivation being hit, the selling price will be higher,” said Nagarajan.
Seeking immediate assessment by government officials, Nagarajan demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh per acre for banana cultivators.
He, however, expressed sceptism over the same by stating: “Each time such a disaster occur, both the horticulture and revenue department officials just send reports to the government. They never award us even a single paise as compensation.”
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