Demanding Rs. 200 as compensation for each banana crop damaged due to heavy wind in Mettur recently, S.R. Parthiban, MLA, along with farmers, carrying the damaged banana clusters, came to the Collectorate here on Thursday.
The MLA said that about 95,000 banana plants of 100 farmers that were in the final stage for cultivation were damaged due to the strong winds on March 4 and 6 in Kolathur block in Mettur.
He said that farmers have pledged their property and obtained loan for cultivating the crops and due to the extensive damage caused now, they were unable to pay their loan. “The market rate of each banana cluster is around Rs. 400 to Rs. 450. We demand a minimum of Rs. 200 as compensation for each cluster so that they can repay half-of their loan,” he added.
Mr. Parthiban said that he had visited the farmers’ land to assess the damage and demanded that they be given the compensation within 10 days.
Rangasamy, a farmer, said that the banana crops would take 10 months for cultivation and the damaged crops were in the seventh month.
Later, they submitted a petition to Collector K. Maharabushanam. The Collector told mediapersons that 1,02,679 banana crops and 150 papaya tress belonging to 83 farmers were damaged and a report would be submitted to the government recommending compensation.
Report will be submitted to Government recommending compensation, says Collector
