‘Write off our loans’

They claim that nearly 75 p.c. of crop is lost due to fruit-rot disease

Areca growers of Kamalashile, Hallihole, Yedamoge, and Ajri villages have urged the government to waive their loans and interest saying they have lost 75 per cent of the crop due fruit-rot disease or ‘koleroga’.

In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner M.T. Reju, the areca growers said the spraying of chemicals on the areca palms did not help them protect their crop. Due to the massive damage, the areca farmers are not in a position to grow areca for the next five years, the farmers said.