COIMBATORE/SALEM: The revenue department started assessing the damage to the banana plantation in Annur Block in Coimbatore due to the gale which happened on Friday."The assessment is being carried out by VAO of concern villages. After the completion of the report, it will be sent to the collector," said Gandhimathi, Tahsildar of Annur.
Farmers claimed that around 30,000 banana plantations in Pogalur, Alagappagoundenpudur, Kanjanaickenpalayam, Gobi Rasipuram, Ottarpalayam and Kuppanur villages under Annur block were uprooted due to the gale on Friday.
Since most of the affected farmers have not insured the crop under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY), they faced losses due to the destruction of the crop and urged the state government to provide relief to them.
P Palanisamy, a farmer from Alagappagoundenpudur, said, "Most of the plantations in my two acres of land got destroyed in the gale. Now, the immature banana bunches, which were retrieved from the damaged crops were sold for less than Rs 200 against the normal price of Rs 450-600, which is not even a quarter of the production cost."
S Velusamy, another farmer, said, "So far I had spent Rs 1.40 lakh per acre as input cost. But now entire plants have been uprooted and left me in heavy financial losses."Around 42,800 banana plantations were damaged in Salem, Erode. Around 42,800 banana plantations were damaged due to strong gale in Salem and Erode districts on Friday and Saturday.
According to sources, 20 hectares of banana crops were damaged in agricultural lands at Keeripatti village panchayat near Attur in Salem. Salem Collector S Karmegam and officials from the horticulture and revenue departments inspected the affected areas on Sunday.
"The collector has ordered a complete survey of the damage and submitted a report by Monday in order to provide compensation for the farmers. A total of 18,000 banana trees have been counted till Sunday evening and the number are expected to go upto 35,000. Only Keeripatti has been affected," officials from the horticulture department said.
Similarly, in Erode, banana crops cultivated in about 15 acres area were damaged in Thoranavavi village panchayat near Perundurai. Collector H Krishnanunni inspected the affected farmlands on Sunday.
"Out of the 70 acres of banana crops cultivated in the area, crops in 15 acres were damaged. A total of 7,800 banana crops, worth Rs 23.4 lakh are likely to have been damaged. A systematic survey of affected banana crops is currently underway. A report will be submitted to the collector soon, following which farmers will get a solatium," said officials from the horticulture department.