Summer rain, gale aggravate losses of banana farmers

Trichy: Thousands of banana trees near Thottiyam in Trichy district have been severely damaged by unseasonal summer rain accompanied by strong gale-force winds. The setback has intensified the financial strain on local farmers, who were already grappling with substantial losses from plummeting market procurement prices triggered by an oversupply in the market and reduced international exports due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.S A Sukumar, a farmer from Thottiyam block, said, "The winds have arrived almost a month earlier this time, posing a serious threat to our plantations. We are already suffering heavy losses from the sharp and rapid decline in banana bunch procurement over the past three weeks. These damages are only compounding our difficulties."For the past few days, the horticulture department has been carrying out detailed enumeration surveys on the affected farms to evaluate the damage caused by the recent rains and gale.Although farmers are reporting widespread and extensive damage to banana trees across the area, officials have so far classified only about seven hectares in three villages - Alagarai, Srinivasanallur, and Sithur - within the Thottiyam block as suffering "complete crop loss." An official emphasized that the current assessment is preliminary. "We request farmers to report any significant damage they have noticed. It is recommended that they keep all necessary documents ready in preparation for the forthcoming survey inspections," the official stated.According to farmers, the procurement price of nendran bunches has fallen from around 160 at the beginning of the month to 110 currently. Yelakki (Elakki) bunches have dropped from 52 to 27 per bunch, while poovan bunches have declined from 22 to 15 over the same period.Researchers from the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) in Trichy explained that the sharp drop in banana procurement prices is primarily due to a ‘market glut', where supply significantly exceeds demand.The experts further pointed out that geopolitical tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict in West Asia, have disrupted exports of various commodities including certain banana varieties, to international markets, contributing significantly to the reduced demand and lower procurement prices domestically.S Saranya, deputy director of horticulture, confirmed that the enumeration survey is still in progress. "Farmers whose crops have been deemed damaged above 33% are eligible to receive relief assistance at the rate of 17,000 per hectare under the disaster management fund. We will ensure that the relief is disbursed at the earliest possible time," she stated.