TIRUCHY: A year after the devastation caused by Cyclone Gaja, banana farmers are continuing to struggle financially.
“It took us almost six months to restore the farms and begin cultivation. We are still financially struggling to recover from the blow delivered by the cyclone in 2018,” said LM Periyasamy, a farmer from Nanimangalam in Lalgudi.
Even as the crops planted in cyclone-affected areas are nearing flowering stage, farmers are cautiously optimistic of returning to financial stability.
In the wee hours of November 16, 2018, Cyclone Gaja made landfall and wreaked havoc across the delta districts.
The heavy winds knocked down several thousand banana trees ready to be plucked over 4,214 acres across the district. Lalgudi block suffered heavy damage due to the storm.
Despite farmers taking precautions and monitoring the cyclone’s path, they were helpless in preventing trees from being uprooted.
“It took us nearly a month to remove the damaged crops from fields. With harvest-ready banana trees destroyed, we cultivated black gram and vegetables just to avoid keeping our fields empty. After almost six months of hardship, many farmers are again engaged in banana cultivation,” farmer Periyasamy said.
Veerasekaran, a farmer in Lalgudi and Bharatiya Kisan Sangam functionary, said though the State government under the ‘Valvathara Thittam’ scheme had provided Rs 26,250 to each banana farmer whose crops were affected, it was not nearly enough. He said farmers had invested much more on cultivation, some on leased land, leaving them in debt.
Vimala, Joint Director of Horticulture, said, “Out of 7,000 hectares, 1,705 were affected by Cyclone Gaja. Later in the season, there was a 30 per cent drop in banana cultivation. Farmers are now slowly returning to banana cultivation. Thus far, banana is being cultivated on 6,010 hectares in the district this year.”