Majority of farmers appealed to the government to extend crop insurance cover to horticulture, long term and perennial crops as 50 per cent of farmers in Sanarpatti, Natham and Palani unions were dependent on these crops only.
Presiding over the agriculturists’ grievance meeting held here on Thursday, Collector T.G. Vinay assured the farmers to take the matter to the knowledge of the government. But crop insurance has been announced only for certain crops in the Rabi season under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana scheme. Land owners and those who leased the land could insure their crop. Insurance cover had been provided for mild season adversity, post harvest losses and localised risk. The risk of post harvest losses upto 14 days occurring due to cyclone, non-seasonal rain and local calamities such as hailstorm and landslips had been included for coverage. The new scheme would cover post-harvest losses. Efforts would be taken to include horticulture crops also, he added.
Representatives of farmers’ associations said that Rs.40 crore, meant for compensation to farmers, were lying unutilised in a private bank. Efforts should be taken to disburse the amount to the farmers immediately. Moreover 50 per cent of the total number of coconut trees in the district were at the withering stage owing to acute drought. Mango trees in Natham and Sanarpatti union too were affected. Insurance cover should be extended to mango crop, they appealed.
Farmers from Karisalnaickenpatti village wanted the supply channel leading to the village tank desilted.
Poor rainfall
Rainfall in October was 66.24 mm which was far below the average rain of 189.1 mm. Rainfall for this year till October was just 292.4 mm against the average rainfall of 607.2 mm. Only two per cent of the total 2,065 rainfed tanks have no water. Of the 91,488 irrigation tanks, 60 per cent tanks have water that could be pumped for one to two hours and the rest of the wells have meagre storage, said officials.
