Rs 51 Crore Worth Seed Cotton Crops Lost
Unfavourable weather conditions in Tamil Nadu have caused extensive damage to BT cotton seed production and farmers have lost 23,000 quintals of 'kapas' valued at Rs 51 crore, the Tamil Nadu Seed Association has said. On behalf of the farmers, a memorandum has been submitted to the government seeking a sum of Rs 40,000 per acre as compensation, according to TNSA President M. Ramasami.Close to 12,000 farmers in these districts have suffered heavy loss on account of incessant rains as cotton crops raised in 9,000 acres of land have been lost. Cotton growers have lost 'kapas' weighing more than 23,000 quintals, worth Rs 51 crore, he said. Due to heavy rainfall the crops were affected by magnesium deficiency, which resulted in unopened bolls, boll rot and boll shedding and the yield loss was estimated to be around 70 to 75 per cent, he said.
A team of scientists from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, under the directions of Commissioner of Agriculture, Chennai had visited the affected fields in Villupuram, Cuddalore and Salem districts and assessed the yield loss, he said. The Department of Agriculture in these districts is sending a list of farmers, whose crops have been affected by the rains, to district collectors for forwarding it to the Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Ramasami said.
