Date:13/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121357940300.htm

Tamil Nadu

740 hectares of oil palm damaged

Special Correspondent

TIRUVARUR: Oil palms raised on 740 hectares in Tiruvarur district were damaged in the recent cyclone.

In a petition given to K. Skandan, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, who led a Central team recently to assess the flood damages in the district, J. Varadarajan, president of the Oil Palm Farmers’ Association of the district, said that 15 fruit bunches per tree were damaged as flood water rose to three feet height.

The farmers sought relief for the damaged crops. He said that three-year-old oil palms were standing on 300 hectares, palms more than eight years old on 40 hectares and those below three years on 400 hectares. Trees aged three and above had started yielding fruits.