Submerged paddy, less fertilizer disappoint farmers of Ranipet dist

RANIPET: Continuous rains in Ranipet district has resulted in more than 300 acres being submerged in Arakkonam and Nemili taluks disappointing farmers as they fear huge loss and no insurance compensation also as the state government was yet to fix the insurance company.

Sources said that though the premia for insurance coverage was being collected from farmers opting for crop loans from PACBs (primary agricultural cooperative banks), they would not get any compensation due to the delay in informing the insurance company by the state government.

Adding to these problems, farmers are also struggling due to shortage in availability of fertilizers, according to Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam, youth wing state president R Subash.

Talking to DT Next, he said, “while PACBs have no fertilizer stocks, private traders have around 22 tonnes. However, they refuse to sell more than two bags each weighing 45 kg to any farmer unless they are ‘directed’ by government officials. Further, farmers are also forced to purchase unnecessary products to ensure they get at least two bags of urea.”

“While no official is willing to talk openly about this issue, department officials are now asking farmers to opt for fine-tuning fertilizer disbursal in their fields by mixing urea with either super phosphate or complex,” said Sangam’s Ranipet district unit president CS Mani.

Department sources also revealed that the focus was now on reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and slowly moving to organic farming.

Though farmers are willing to shift to organic farming they say it cannot be an overnight exercise and the transformation should be carried out in such a manner without affecting our livelihood. But, with no hope of compensation for our present submerged crops this is not the right time for such talks, farmer leaders aver.