Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Jul 27: Farmers of the district have suffered crop losses due to the incessant rains that pounded the coastal districts for two weeks. More than 300 hectares of paddy is destroyed.

As the rains began late, the work of planting the saplings also was late. In addition, arecanut and pepper crop are also lost due to disease. According to the survey done by the agricultural department, around Rs 35 lac worth of crops are lost.

Representational image

In many areas, the agricultural fields and farmlands got inundated due to heavy rains. In other areas the sapling were uprooted by the force of the flowing flood water.

According to NDRF guidelines central government and state government will offer compensation of Rs 13,600 (Rs 6,800 each) per hectare of crop lost. But the actual loss incurred by the farmers amounts to nearly Rs 20,000 per hectare. So Bharatiya Kisan Sangha and District agriculturists’ association have demanded for more compensation.

Farmer are saying that paddy should have been sown on 38,000 hectares of fields by now. However, due to incessant rains the work got delayed. Now it is not possible to sow and reap the harvest as it is too late. In addition to arecanut and pepper crop disease, cashew crop is also affected due to the heavy rains.

The Agricultural department is making survey to estimate the loss of commercial crops. Officials have called the farmers to submit their crop loss petitions along with suitable supporting documents.