Nature's fury:The trees which were damaged in the wind at West Ramapuram on Friday.
CUDDALORE:
Strong winds across the Ramapuram area near here on Saturday caused extensive damage to banana trees on over 15 acres. As most of the trees were in the fruit-bearing stage, farmers have suffered heavy losses.
V. Seshapathi, a native of the area, said that raising banana crop was a gamble. For raising the crop in one acre, a farmer would incur an expenditure of Rs. 40,000, including application of fertilizer and pesticides. At the fruit-bearing stage, the trees would tilt on one side and if not adequately supported, they would fall down. Therefore, farmers would have to prop up the trees using wooden poles.
Mr. Seshapathi said that a 15-foot tall pole would be needed to keep a fully grown tree erect and each pole of that height would cost Rs. 29. In an acre, there would be 700 to 800 trees and, therefore, the total expenditure on this count alone would work out to Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 23,000. He also said that certain farmers use nylon ropes to tie all trees within the farm so that the trees could withstand strong wind. But, the ropes tied around the trees would hamper watering and weeding operations.
If no natural calamity occurs, the farmers would earn Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.3 lakh from the yield obtained from an acre. Whatever profit they manage to earn in one season would be neutralised in successive season if adverse and unanticipated weather condition prevails. Mr Seshapathi said that the government had raised compensation to farmers from Rs. 2,000 to Rs 5,000 an acre. The Ramapuram farmers have decided to seek relief from the government, Mr. Seshapathi added.
