TIRUCHY: Complaining that cultivation over hundreds of acres has withered due to lack of water for irrigation and the heatwave-like conditions, banana farmers in the district submitted a representation to the collector on Wednesday seeking compensation for damaged crop.
The representation stated that banana farmers of Anthanallur, Manikandam, Thottiyam, Manachanallur and Lalgudi unions raised nendran, karpooravalli, neipoovan and poovan varieties over thousands of acres.
With insufficient monsoon rainfall last year, the groundwater depleted completely, making banana cultivation on several hundred acres wither. Even as the farmers were struggling to save their crop, the gale that struck Thottiyam and Musiri on Sunday night uprooted hundreds of banana trees in the region, the representation further stated and sought immediate compensation.
A group of farmer leaders, including Ayilai Sivasuriyan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the CPI, handed over the representation to Collector M Pradeep Kumar.