Until a decade in the past, betel leaves grown in Sholabandhan in Madurai district had been exported to the US, UK and different nations. However at present, the plight of farmers is dire, with most of them dealing with a “deficit” and unable to cease their losses from mounting as a consequence of a mix of things.
Only recently, on a sunny day, farmers in Mannadhimangalam rising betel leaves had been in for a shock. Their fortunes modified fully when robust winds accompanied by unseasonable rain continued for about an hour. The complete ‘Kodikar’ was uprooted by the wind and the fields had been flooded with knee-deep water. The ferocious nature was punishing them a lot that the financial losses had been insupportable.
Virtually two months after the robust winds struck, farmers are nonetheless ready in hopes that the federal government will contemplate some concrete aid, stated farmer Maranattan, including that authorities have visited storm-hit fields however have but to obtain a constructive response.
Farmers say betel leaf cultivation is totally totally different from different conventional crops resembling paddy and coconuts, and the price of rising betel leaves in small teams is prohibitive. There may be work nearly every single day, the primary harvest takes nearly 8 months, the second harvest takes place on the finish of 15 months, and many others.
If grown correctly, betel leaves can fetch a whopping Rs 1.5 million per acre, however farmers should work for a complete of 24-30 months to earn a revenue in two to 3 crops, he stated.
In Mannadhimangalam alone, practically 75 acres of betel leaves grown and prepared for harvest had been washed away. “All the cash they invested and the exhausting work they put into it went to waste…,” he stated with ache, hoping that the federal government would assist them on this time of disaster.
If betel leaf farmers’ plight is dangerous, the issues confronted by coconut and paddy farmers seem like even worse. Sholavandan, as soon as often called the “delta area” as a result of most of it cultivated double crops, appears desolate and disoriented. Below regular circumstances, productiveness and productiveness are excessive. In accordance with Mr. Rajendran of Metsudai, the yield of agricultural merchandise from the plots was additionally very excessive.
However now issues are getting worse.
Bills doubled as a consequence of poor climate and an absence of employees. Rising crops resembling betel leaves, coconuts, and rice paddy was not solely accompanied by rising manufacturing prices and poor returns, but additionally unreliable with unpredictable rains.
Officers took soil for checks and inspected fields, however stated there could be no aid from the federal government as a result of the robust winds had been a pure catastrophe and the rain was unseasonal. Paramasivam stated in Jayamangalam that they weren’t at fault and that it was a pure catastrophe.
N. Ramasamy, a Sholavandan farmer who retired from the agriculture division, stated he has been cultivating on his household’s land in Alankottaram for many years. The hailstorm instantly hit the paddy fields, and not one of the farmers within the close by village had been spared.
Other than the rice fields, at the least 4,000 standing plantains, which had been about to be harvested, had been additionally uprooted within the hailstorm, and lots of palm bushes had been broken. In lots of instances, the destruction was so nice that they needed to begin anew, he added.
Recalling his harrowing expertise, he stated the rain lastly stopped after three days. Widespread and steady rains accompanied by robust winds sealed the destiny of farmers within the district. As a result of pace, many palm bushes had been additionally broken. It’s merely unpredictable and can’t be stopped, he careworn.
Paddy loss in DPC
Farmers stated the direct procurement facilities (DPCs) that used to purchase paddy from them had been additionally at a loss. After procurement, the agricultural merchandise that had been neglected within the open at DPC obtained moist as a consequence of unseasonable rain.
Officers stated they had been working with a skeleton crew amid the overall election. As a result of senior officers had been certain by voting obligations and a mannequin code of conduct was in place, obtainable personnel couldn’t make any selections in such a disaster.
Consequently, the baggage of paddy couldn’t be transported to close by drop-off factors as a consequence of lack of area and went to waste, officers admitted, including that funds couldn’t be made to farmers as a consequence of this.
Farmers who’re presently dealing with hardship haven’t acquired returns of the produce they offered to the federal government, and are unable to obtain their merchandise as a result of they had been destroyed by the rain. Caught within the quagmire, many small and marginal farmers are underneath extreme stress.
Former Extra Director Normal (Agriculture) S. Kanagaraj stated the federal government ought to give attention to strengthening infrastructure services. For instance, storage downs must be constructed near the DPC. Wherever there’s a excessive density of paddy cultivation, the TNCSC (Tamil Nadu State Personal Provide Company) could take a look at methods to arrange services with appropriate roofs that may save time and prices on transportation.
A senior official from Chennai’s agriculture division advised The Hindu that it launched Rs 290 million from the state catastrophe administration fund as compensation to farmers who misplaced their crops as a consequence of unseasonably robust winds and rains in December 2025. Equally, within the subsequent rains, the then CM MK Stalin ordered aid of Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers whose crops had been submerged as a consequence of sudden rains.
Aid for farmers in Madurai district couldn’t be confirmed at the moment, however the official stated a brand new authorities had simply been shaped. Riot could have to attend for a number of extra months because the finance ministry will seemingly should submit the proposal to Prime Minister C. Joseph Vijay and will have to seek the advice of with the finance ministry earlier than taking a last determination.
Wait occasions shall be longer this time as nicely, and farmers could have to stay cautious till then.
issued – Might 17, 2026 1:16 PM IST
