PERAMBALUR: Shallot farmers in various villages of the district are worried over "poor" yield due to the heavy rains and basal rot disease doing the rounds. They demand compensation for the affected crops.
The district has topped in shallot cultivation for over a decade. The farmers cultivate shallots in two back-to-back seasons.
In the current season, which started in October, shallot cultivation has been taken up on about 3,600 hectares, of which about 2,000 acres are insured, horticulture department sources said. Farmers have commenced harvesting in various villages.
Meanwhile, heavy rains lashed various places in the district for weeks recently. The rains and basal rot disease have affected the crop in many villages, including Ladapuram, Padalur, Chettikulam, Nakkasalem and Mavilangai. The yield has been affected as many shallots have rotten, complain farmers.
P Periyasamy, a farmer from Adaikkampatti, said, "I cultivated shallots on my two acres spending Rs 55,000 per acre. While the crop is growing well, half of the shallots have rotten due to rain and the rest are affected by basal rot disease. I harvested one acre and got only 10 sacks. Usually, we get 50 sacks per acre. This time the yield has been affected badly and the price has also decreased. We cannot even recover the money spent through this."
"The government should provide compensation for affected crops," he added.
Another farmer, C Murugesan of Nattarmangalam, said, "I cultivated shallots on three acres. As harvesting time approaches, two acres of crop have been completely affected by basal rot. This does not yield even a single sack. I had no choice but to destroy it and all the money I spent has been lost. If there is no more rain, the crop on the remaining one acre will survive."
When contacted, a senior official from the horticulture department in Perambalur told The New Indian Express, "We have inspected and assessed the rain-affected crops. Most crops in the district are affected. We have sent a proposal to the government regarding compensation. Also, farmers will be provided insurance coverage."