THENI: Officials who are taking a count of drought damage in Theni district of Tamil Nadu have reported back to their supervisors that around 2500 acres of coconut palms have wilted and dried this season.
That accounts for half the 50000 acres covered by coconut groves in the district. The damage is particularly severe in Thevaram, Meenakshipuram and Pannaipuram areas.
The drought followed the failure of the northeast monsoon and the havoc wrought by cyclone Vardah last year.
Losses to coconut farmers in Theni mirror the reports coming out of the other coconut growing regions of the southern states, with Kerala suffering the worst. Coconut grower Selvam of Thevaram said he counted more than 50 dead trees in his grove. Coconut palms are sensitive to water stress over time.
A good spell of rain during the monsoon months might have saved Selvam’s grove but the prolonged drought gripping Tamil Nadu, in particular, has laid waste to a large number of palms across Theni district.
It is the plunge in the water table that has cut the ground under the feet of coconut farmers here. Overexploitation of river sand and excessive digging of bore, wells have added to the effects of the drought.
The agriculture department of Tehni district has been instructed to extend compensation to coconut farmers. The state government released `1.02 crore towards this purpose and relief payments have been made into farmers’ bank accounts. However, officials said this is not nearly enough, and are awaiting the second tranche of `72.39 lakh.
C. Murthy, joint director in the agriculture department told New Indian Express that the drought has “defaced” agriculture in Theni district. Farmers are being encouraged to adopt micro-irrigation systems to save what still stands.
Officials said that the government released D1.02 crore is not nearly enough, and are awaiting the second tranche of D72.39 lakh.