Rain flattens paddy cultivated on over 1,500 acres; affected farmers seek compensation

TIRUNELVELI farmers seek compensation for paddy crop damaged by rains; petitioners urge removal of encroachments.

Farmers of Kanarpatti near Manur in the district submitted a petition to Collector K.P. Karthikeyan during the weekly grievances redressal meet held at the Collectorate on Monday seeking compensation for their paddy crop on over 1,500 acres which has been flattened by recent rains.

 After being let down by the northeast monsoon in 2022, the early rains in last October has induced the agriculturists to go in for paddy cultivation with the water available in the wells around Kanarpatti as this region does not have credible irrigation system like the Tamirabharani basin. When the rain continued to jack-up the water level in the wells, the enthusiastic farmers cultivated paddy.

 While most of the farmers cultivated RNR rice variety, a kind of paddy that would be ready for harvest in 100 days, others had raised ‘Amman’ variety. Even as the farmers were joyous about getting bumper harvest this time, the sudden downpour on last Friday (January 5) dashed all their hopes as the sharp shower has flattened the paddy crop.

 “We’ve spent just over ₹ 25,000 per acre for raising paddy during this season. But, the 70-day-old crop has been flattened by the downpour that lashed our area on January 5. Since the crop has suffered damage just before the paddy formation stage, reviving the crop again is a difficult task and hence the growers will suffer huge loss for sure. Hence, the government should give sufficient compensation for the loss,” said farmer Yakobu of Kaanaarpatti, who has cultivated paddy on 6 acres of land.

 Almost all affected farmers, who used to cultivate groundnut during the summer with the anticipation of summer showers and the available water in the wells, have availed loan from the nearby Vaagaikulam Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society.

 “Since all the wells in our region have plenty of water now, I, with the hope of cultivating paddy this time, had borrowed ₹ 1 lakh from Vagaikulam Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society for raising paddy on 4 acres. I’ve spent all my money in this process and I have nothing with me now. So, the government should bailout the farmers of Kanarpatti who are on the verge of suffering huge loss due this downpour,” said R. Issac Ruben, another farmer from Kaanaarpatti.

The farmers also complained in unison about the invasion of wild boars into their ranches.