COIMBATORE: Over 15,000 banana plantains were uprooted in a gale at Theethipalayam and Kuppanur villages in Perur taluk of Coimbatore district on Tuesday night. It was the second such incident after more than 60,000 banana plantains were damaged in a gale last week in several villages in Annur taluk.
Farmers claimed that the government compensation for crop damage is very meagre. They said the government offers Rs 17,500 per hectare which is Rs 6 per plant against the loss of Rs 800 per plant.
“The farmers are facing huge losses as the bananas that were in the harvest stage were damaged. Officials from the horticulture department and revenue department should directly inspect the above-mentioned affected lands and provide appropriate compensation to the affected farmers from the Disaster Management Fund,” said R Periyasamy, Vice President of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam.
“Officials in the Horticulture Department said there is a government order to provide only Rs 17,500 per ha as compensation from the Disaster Management Fund. The price of a banana seedling in the nursery is Rs 25. Farmers spend almost Rs 300 on planting and production costs. Currently, the market value is between Rs 750 and Rs 800 per banana bunch,” he said.
An official from the Horticulture Department said, “It is the policy decision of the government to increase the compensation sum. We could recommend the farmers’ demand to the government.”