Date:11/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/11/stories/2008101151070300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Over 200 farmers suffer crop loss

Staff Reporter

Strong winds damage banana trees on 300 acres, sugarcane crop on 50 acres

TIRUPATTUR: Strong winds on Wednesday damaged banana crop on 300 acres, affecting over 200 small and medium scale farmers of six hamlets in Kurusilapet panchayat near Tirupattur.

Sugarcane crop on 50 acres was also damaged. The banana trees were 10 months old and in the final stages of growth. Farmers in Jollagoundanoor, Goundervattam, Palathoor, Deluganvattam, Babukolai and Karaikinaru have incurred loss to the extent of over Rs. 3 crore to Rs. 4 crore, sources said.

Some of the aggrieved farmers have confined themselves to their houses.

District Agriculture and Horticulture Department officials are camping at Kurusilapet panchayat to assess the damage.

According to sources, most of the farmers had taken loan from the Kurusilapet Agriculture Cooperative Society and may find it tough to repay the money. Unable to face the loss, a farmer at Goundervattam, who had planted 1,500 banana trees, tried to commit suicide. But, the bid was foiled.

Horticulture Department officials said that a total of 50,000 banana tress were damaged.

The damage could have been averted had the farmers fenced the trees with wind-barrier plants like casuarinas and white silk cotton.