Cyclone Nivar: Officials commence assessment of crop loss in Tamil Nadu

State government officials have commenced preliminary assessment of crop loss in Tamil Nadu caused in the wake of cyclone Nivar and farmers have sought adequate compensation.

The cyclone crossed the coast on November 26 between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, causing damage in 18 districts including Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Chengalpattu, Chennai and Tiruvannamalai.

A senior official in the agriculture department said estimates on the crop loss received from the affected districts would be submitted to Chief Minister K Palaniswami for favourable action.

Preliminary estimate of total loss in Ranipet district due to Nivar is estimated to be around Rs 3.10 crore and crops raised on 5,734 acres including paddy have been completely destroyed in the district, an official said.

District collector A R Gladstone Pushparaj inspected the damaged crops in Chittanji, Puthuppadi and Nandivalam villages. Onion farmers in Tiruvannamalai district lament that the crop has become rotten due to continuous rain and Nivar.

"It has been raining extensively in Tiruvannamalai district for the last one month. Due to this and Nivar cyclone, rainwater accumulated in the agricultural fields and shallot grown on about 50 acres rotted," Arumugam, a farmer, said.

On an average at least Rs 30,000 was spent per acre to raise the crop, he said and claimed the torrential rain and cyclone marred the farmers' prospects of realising a good harvest. "The loss apart, now, we don't have money to raise the crop again," he added.

Apart from paddy, pulses, groundnut, sugarcane and horticultural crops were submerged in the incessant rain in Villupuram district where the preliminary estimate by district officials revealed that standing crops in over 9,000 hectares have been submerged during Cyclone Nivar.

The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association has appealed to the state government to make a judicious assessment of crop loss and determine a fair and appropriate compensation.

The compensation should be fixed at the rate of Rs 50,000 per acre for paddy, Rs 40,000 for banana crop and Rs 30,000 for other crops, said Mani, Vellore district president of the association. 

(Photo Credit: Twitter/CMOTamilNadu)