Widespread damage to crops has been reported in heavy summer rain and wind that have been lashing the district for the past several days. The crop loss has been estimated at ₹51.86 crore, according to preliminary reports of the Agriculture Department.
The rain severely affected crops, especially plantains, vegetables, coffee, pepper vines, rubber, arecanut palms and coconut palms in Panamaram, Cheeral, Edavaka, Thariyode, Kottathara, Padinharethara, Thavinhal, Vellamunda, Muttil, Noolpuzha and Poothadi grama panchayats, said Sajimon, Principal Agriculture Officer, Wayanad. “Rain adversely affected 5,357 farmers in the district and crops cultivated on 817.74 hectares were destroyed,” Mr.Sajimon said.
Plantain farmers were the worst hit in the district. As many as 9,10,152 bunched and non-bunched banana plantains cultivated on 500.6 hectares were uprooted in the winds. An estimated loss of ₹48.64 crore was reported in the plantain sector alone and 3,788 farmers were affected. Apart from this, 4,736 arecanut palms, 1,606 coconut palms, and 1,235 rubber trees planted on 222.91 hectares were uprooted. An estimated loss of ₹226.01 crore occurred in those sectors and 880 farmers were affected. As many as 35 coffee plants on 0.70 hectares and 1,600 pepper vines on 1.6 hectares were also destroyed.
Vegetables, including bitter gourd, amaranthus, cowpea, pumpkin, cassava, and cucumber on 16.08 hectares in various parts of the district, especially in Mananthavady taluk, were destroyed in the heavy rain.
Compensation
Many farmers in the district complained that they were yet to get compensation for the crop loss that occurred in the 2019-20 fiscal. But Mr. Sajimon said that the department had disbursed ₹10.7 crore as compensation for farmers in the district last year. The department had submitted a report to the government to grant the remaining amount of ₹10 crore to disburse among farmers, he said.
“Summer rain, however, has been a relief to wildlife, especially in areas on the Kerala-Karnataka border, including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary where forest fires have been posing a threat,” Forest Department sources said.
