Pointing out the failure in rainfall and the consequent loss in cultivation, farmers here made a fervent appeal to the district administration to take adequate steps to declare Madurai as a drought region at the monthly farmers’ grievance meeting at the Collectorate here on Friday.
They also demanded waiver of crop loans taken by farmers and to compensate them for their losses. Pointing out the abysmal level of water available in the combined Periyar credit in the Vaigai dam, N. Palanichamy, president of Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Farmers’ Association, said that the present harvest season was going to be an almost total failure.
K. Devaraj, district vice-president of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, urged the government to ensure that each of the farmer, who incurred loss, would get at least Rs. 20,000 as compensation per acre.
The farmers also highlighted difficulties faced in insuring their crops under Prime Minister Fasal Bheema Yojana (PMFBY), which could have helped in covering up their losses. Requesting the Collector to resolve these difficulties, the farmers demanded extension of the last date for insuring samba crop, which already ended on Thursday.
Earlier, presenting data on reservoir status and area under cultivation, Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao acknowledged that the situation was worrying. He assured the farmers that the district administration would do everything within its limit to alleviate the difficulties of farmers.
Appreciating those farmers who had switched to cultivation of millets and pulses, Mr. Rao encouraged other farmers also to switch from water-intensive paddy cultivation this season to mitigate the losses.
On their demand to declare Madurai as drought-affected, Mr. Rao said that the district administration will analyse whether it could recommend the same to the State government. “Various factors need to be studied. We anyway have to wait till the end of December to see if there is going to be any more rainfall in this season,” he said.
Regarding the demand to extend the date for insurance, Mr. Rao said that the last date was not over for other crops and navarai paddy cultivation. “For samba paddy, the option to extend the deadline will be explored,” he said.
