DINDIGUL/THENI: Severe weather events over the past few days, especially strong winds combined with heavy rainfall on Thursday, have caused extensive damage to several acres of harvest-ready paddy, mango, and coconut trees in Periyakulam taluk of Theni; banana, lemon, and drumstick plantations in Sirumalai, and several acres of crops in Palani.
Officials from the agriculture and revenue departments have completed inspection of the rain-hit areas to determine the extent of the crop damage, while another team is set to verify land records in other areas, according to an agriculture department official.
V Srinivasan, a paddy farmer from Thamaraikulam, told TNIE that he had invested over Rs 1.5 lakh for farming on his four-acre paddy field. "I was anticipating the harvest, which I had planned for the second week of May. Unfortunately, strong winds on Thursday night completely flattened my crops," he said.
TN Farmers Association (Dindigul) president M Ramasamy said that two spells of rainfall on Thursday -- 3 pm to 4 pm and between 8 pm and 10 pm -- destroyed several acres of paddy fields in Balasamudram, Kurumpadi, A Kalaimuthur, and Thamaraikulam. "These crops were about to be harvested over the next few days, and many farmers are distressed over the outcome. Besides, maize crops cultivated over several acres in Ponnapuram and some sections of Balasamudram were also affected," he said.
K Jagannathan, a paddy farmer, said, "Palani region is renowned for its paddy fields, with the rice variety mattai arisi being predominantly cultivated for trade with Kerala merchants. Farmers in the area had sown the crop during last October-November, investing over Rs 30,000 per acre on fertilizers, drilling, sowing, and other related expenses. They were anticipating the harvest in just a few days. However, the farmlands were hit by strong winds along with rain, destroying the crops completely."
An official from the agriculture department assured that appropriate action would be taken after the extent of the damage had been assessed. The official said, "In Sirumalai, several dozen acres of drumsticks, banana plantations, and lemon trees were destroyed over the past few days. Officials are currently evaluating the damage in these regions."
Meanwhile, a few acres of mango and coconut plantations in many villages in Periyakulam taluk in Theni district were damaged in the rain on Thursday, with around 80 mango trees and 90 coconut trees uprooted. Several acres of red and nenthram bananas plants were uprooted in Uthamapalayam, Surulipatti, and Kamayagoundanpatti in Theni district.