Crop loss relief announced for delta farmers not paid yet

Trichy: More than a month after the Tamil Nadu govt announced relief for crop losses in samba and thaladi paddy varieties, damaged due to Cyclone Ditwah and heavy monsoon rains—the compensation amount has still not been credited to the farmers' bank accounts.P Kamal Ram, a farmer representative from Thalaignayiru in Nagapattinam district, said, "The delay is impacting farmers on multiple fronts, particularly those who have taken loans for cultivation. Farmers who proceeded with recultivation are now facing uncertainty over their yields because of water scarcity. Therefore, it is crucial that the relief amount for the loss of the previous crop is disbursed without further delay."In Nov 2025, heavy rainfall associated with Cyclone Ditwah and the northeast monsoon flooded month-old samba paddy crops and two-week-old thaladi paddy crops in Trichy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and Cuddalore districts. These districts had cultivated paddy over approximately 4.5 lakh hectares during that season.On Jan 14, Tamil Nadu govt announced a relief package of 111.96 crore to benefit 84,848 farmers whose agricultural and horticultural crops suffered damage exceeding the 33% threshold limit across around 56,226 hectares. The assistance was set at 20,000 per hectare, to be disbursed from the state disaster response fund.A govt order sanctioning the release of these funds was issued the very next day, on Jan 15. However, even after more than a month since the issuance of the order, the relief amount has not yet reached the farmers.The prolonged delay has caused significant concern among farmers in the delta districts, particularly those who were unable to salvage their crops. They have urged the state govt, the agriculture department, and the respective district administrations to credit the compensation amount at the earliest.According to sources, the state govt has not yet transferred these funds from the state level to the district treasuries. An official from the agriculture department stated, "The relief amount will be directly credited to the farmers' bank accounts once the funds are received at the district level."