The enumeration undertaken by the horticulture department to ascertain the actual extent of damage to banana cultivation from the recent gale that struck several parts of the district has put the figure at about 500 acres, said officials.

The final report will be submitted to the state government through the district collector soon, following which compensation will be announced for the affected farmers, they added. Banana cultivation is taken up on an average of 15,000 acres in the district, with Lalgudi block alone accounting for 5,000 acres.

Other areas in the district where the crop is raised are Thottiyam, T Pettai, Musiri, Manachanallur, Thuraiyur, Thiruverumbur and Anthanallur, officials said. Even as farmers struggled to save their cultivation from the scorching heat and lack of water for irrigation this time, a gale struck parts like Thottiyam and T Pettai on May 11, uprooting hundreds of banana trees.

Another gale three days later struck areas like Manachanallur and Anthanallur blocks, inflicting similar damage to banana cultivation there, officials added. Following this, farmers sought the state government to undertake enumeration of crop damage and provide compensation for affected members.

Acting on it, officials from the horticulture department undertook field visits in Thottiyam and T Pettai and assessed that the gale destroyed banana trees raised on about 360 acres. Around 400 farmers incurred revenue loss from the damages.

A similar inspection was undertaken in Manachanallur and Anthanallur blocks which then found out that banana cultivation on about 140 acres sustained damage in the gale. Around 40 farmers incurred losses from it, officials said. The damages came when harvesting was completed in about 80% of the fields in the district. The gale damaged the banana trees which were left to mature, they added.

Source - https://www.newindianexpress.com