CHENNAI : Learning lessons from the devastation caused by cyclone ‘Gaja’, the State agriculture department has initiated measures to save the standing agricultural and horticultural crops in coastal districts in view of cyclone ‘Phethai’ forecast.As part of this efforts, the department has issued a set of precautions to be adopted by farmers to face the cyclone and contain the damage to their produce. Horticultural crops, including coconut, mango, jackfruit and other long term crops in the districts of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai, had faced huge destruction when cyclone ‘Gaja’ hit the central districts of Tamil Nadu recently.
As far as coconut trees are concerned, it is expected that the trees between the age of seven and 40 years are likely to be affected. As such, coconut growers should identify them and remove the coconuts, tender coconuts and leaves which weigh much. Through this, the weight on the top of the trees would be reduced so that they can withstand the speed of the wind when the cyclone crosses.
Agricultural department officials said, “From now on, watering for coconut trees should be stopped. Through this, the roots of trees would get tightened and this would also help withstand the speed of the winds during the cyclone.”For protecting paddy, pulses, millets, cotton, sugarcane and groundnut, the water should be drained completely and water channels should be kept ready so that rain water does not stagnate.
As far as mango, jackfruit and cashew trees are concerned, the extra branches and leaves should be removed, giving way to the speedy winds to pass through. This would prevent uprooting of the trees.
After cutting the branches copper oxychloride mixture should be applied. For these trees also, watering should be stopped from now. Further, applying fertiliser by removing the soil around the tree could be done after the cyclone crosses the coast.