Banana growers of Tiruchi district have urged the district administration to extend the individual crop insurance scheme, introduced in Thottiyam taluk, to all parts of the district. Banana farmers have incurred substantial loss due to gale and only an individual insurance scheme covering all farmers would offer some relief, said the farmers at the agriculturists’ grievances day meet held here on Friday.
Ayilai Siva.Sooriyan, district secretary, Tamizhnadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the Communist Party of India, said that insurance authorities should convene a meeting with farmers to rectify the glitches in the scheme. N.Veerasekaran, coordinator, South and North Ayyan Vaikkal Ayacutdars Association, said that the State government should impress upon the Centre to hike the minimum support price for paddy as was done for wheat. Mr.Veerasekaran urged the State government to permit procurement of paddy with a moisture content of up to 21 per cent, since moisture content would be higher during the current kharif season.
R.Subramanian, deputy secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, pleaded for sustained discharge of water from the Mettur dam for the current samba season. Tail-end areas were yet to receive water and farmers in Karur and Tiruchi districts would benefit only through a steady discharge and it should not be suspended on any account till the end of samba season, he said.
A.Nagarajan from Puliyur said that the banks should not adjust the wages being disbursed under MNREGS against the outstanding loan dues of farmers.
