Farmers demand speedy disbursal of govt aid

Kozhikode:

Farmers

in the district, who have suffered severe financial

loss

for the second consecutive year due to floods,

demand

speedy

disbursal

of compensation amount. Over 3,000 farmers in the district were directly affected due to floods and landslides reported in the district.

Vegetable farmers who were hoping to tap the potential of Onam market are worst affected. Paddy and plantain farmers also suffered major loss in the flood.

“Last year also our dreams were shattered in the heavy rain and flood. We cultivate vegetables on three acres taken on lease and the flood has destroyed our farm,” said V K Ganeshan, a farmer from Mavoor.

According to figures available with the agriculture department, farmers in the district have experienced a loss of Rs 16.6 crore . Paddy cultivation in over 100 hectares were flooded. Besides, 10 hectares of vegetable cultivation were also destroyed in the floods. Famers from Mavoor, Peruvayal, Olavanna and other areas were the worst affected due to rain-related calamities.

“The houses of many farmers were flooded during the rains and we have also lost our crops,” said P Hamsa, another farmer from Mavoor.

As the 2018 flood was a rare phenomenon, we did not expect such a situation this year, he said. The landslips and landslides in hilly terrains in the district also affected rubber farmers in the district. As many as 14 hectares of rubber plantations were destroyed in the calamities.

The severe damage experienced by the animal husbandry section is a blow to farmers. As per the estimate prepared by the animal husbandry department, the sector suffered a loss of Rs 1.6 crore due to flood.

We now require financial assistance as well as supply of quality planting materials and fertilizers to recover from the blow, said K Johnson from Kodencherry.

Meanwhile, the agriculture department officials said that they had prepared the list of crops and farmers and the compensation would be distributed based on the government allocation. tnn