Erode, Sep 14 (IANS) More than 10,000 banana plants were uprooted after heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed Ammapettai and surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district from Sunday evening until midnight, causing huge losses to farmers.
The sudden spell of rain and gusty winds caused extensive damage to banana plantations in Boothapadi village near Ammapettai and areas, including Anna Nagar, Poonachi, Kemmiyampatti, Patlur and Muliyanur.
Farmers said the intensity of the wind left them with little opportunity to protect their standing crops. Plantations belonging to several farmers, including Senthil Kumar, 43, Veluchamy, 73, Kaveri, 76, Parimala, 56, Moorthy, 62, and Poonachi Eesan, were among those severely affected.
Thousands of banana plants were found uprooted or broken across the fields after the storm subsided. Most of the damaged plants were of the Nendran variety and had been cultivated for nearly seven months. They were approaching the stage of producing bunches, raising expectations of a good harvest among the growers.
The destruction of the crop at this crucial stage has left the affected farmers deeply distressed. Farmers said they had invested substantial amounts in preparing the land, purchasing saplings, applying fertilisers and pesticides, maintaining irrigation facilities and paying wages to agricultural workers.
With the crop nearing maturity, they had expected to recover their expenses and earn reasonable returns from the harvest. However, the heavy rain and powerful winds completely flattened plantations spread across the affected villages.
Preliminary estimates indicate that more than 10,000 banana plants were destroyed, resulting in a combined loss of around Rs 50 lakh. Farmers fear that the final damage assessment could reveal an even higher figure.
The growers said they had already been struggling with rising cultivation costs, fluctuating market prices and shortages of farm labour.
The latest crop loss has added to their financial burden, particularly for those who had borrowed money to meet cultivation expenses.
The affected farmers urged officials from the Revenue and Agriculture departments to immediately inspect the damaged plantations and conduct a comprehensive assessment of the losses.
They also appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to provide adequate compensation and other relief measures without delay, saying timely financial assistance was essential for them to overcome the setback and resume cultivation.
–IANS
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