Tamil Nadu: Incessant rainfall hits harvest-ready paddy in 600 acres, farmers seek aid

With heavy downpour lashing the district for the past few days, paddy farmers of Chellampatti region rued harvest loss stating that over 600 acres of paddy crops got inundated, and urged the state government to grant compensation. Several farmers of Melur, Chellampatti and Usilampatti regions, who were involved in the summer paddy cultivation, suffered severe crop damage due to the sporadic rainfall that hit the harvest-ready paddy crops.

According to sources, areas of the Chellampatti block witnessed severe downpour, leading to waterlogging issues in the paddy fields of several villages, including Muthalaipatti, Ayuanarpuram and others. It may be noted that paddy, one of the major crops cultivated in Madurai, covers over 50,000 hectares of cultivable land in the district across multiple seasons, including the Samba, Kuruvai and Summer seasons.

Speaking to TNIE, Thirumangalam Vaigai Irrigation Farmers Association president MP Raman said, “I cultivated Andra Ponni in six acres in Mudhalaikulam village, and spent Rs 30,000 per acre. Just 20 days ahead of the harvest, the summer rains caused water logging in the fields and spoiled the crops, resulting in a loss of nearly Rs 1.5 lakh.”

He further urged the government to provide crop insurance and compensation for crop damage, and added that more than 600 acres of paddy crops in Chellampatti also suffered a similar fate owing to unseasonal rains and consequent waterlogging issues. “The agricultural department should enumerate the crop damage and provide compensation accordingly,” he added.

When contacted, a senior official from the agriculture department said that block level officials have been directed to enumerate the crop damage in Chellampatti areas.

“Primarily, farmers have been advised to drain out the rainwater from their fields. Following this, remedial action will be taken. If the water stagnation continues, crops might get damaged. Hence, the department is monitoring the situation and creating awareness among farmers,” he added.

This article has been republished from The New Indian Express.