TN delta farmers seek immediate compensation for damaged crops ahead of Pongal

Chennai, Jan 1 (IANS) As the Pongal festival approaches, farmers across the coastal delta districts of Tamil Nadu have urged the Stalin government to expedite the release of compensation for crops damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.

They have called for the immediate publication of beneficiary lists and early disbursal of relief amounts to help them cope with mounting financial stress caused by extensive crop losses.

The cyclone, which struck the region in late November, severely affected standing samba and thaladi paddy crops in several districts, particularly Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai. Prolonged heavy rainfall and waterlogging led to large-scale damage, leaving thousands of farmers struggling to recover their losses just weeks before the harvest season.

In the Nagapattinam district, officials estimate that around 26,416 farmers are eligible for compensation. Crop damage has been recorded across approximately 38,395 acres, and a proposal seeking Rs 26.41 crore in relief has already been forwarded to the government. Similarly, in Mayiladuthurai district, around 22,083 farmers have been identified as affected, with crop loss reported over 38,642 acres.

A compensation proposal amounting to Rs 26.59 crore has been submitted for approval. Farmers’ organisations have pointed out that relief for earlier crop losses, including those suffered during the previous samba and kuruvai seasons, is still pending. In addition, several cultivators are awaiting settlement of crop insurance claims related to cotton and paddy losses.

The delay in payments has increased financial pressure on farming households, many of which depend on timely compensation to prepare fields for the next cultivation cycle.

The farmer representatives have urged the government to ensure that all pending compensation and insurance amounts are credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts before the Pongal festival. They have stressed that timely assistance is essential to help farmers manage debt, meet cultivation expenses, and sustain agricultural activity in the delta region.

Under the State Disaster Response Fund norms, farmers are eligible for an input subsidy of Rs 17,000 per hectare, or Rs 6,880 per acre, for irrigated, horticultural, and annual plantation crops that have suffered damage exceeding 33 per cent. The assistance is capped at a maximum of two hectares per farmer.

Officials noted that cyclone-related flooding submerged approximately 55,789 acres of crops in Mayiladuthurai and about 81,653 acres in Nagapattinam, highlighting the scale of destruction and the urgent need for timely relief.

aal/dpb