Rain & wind cause $400k worth of damage to Indian plantain crop
The rain damaged crops, especially plantains, vegetables, rubber trees, areca nut palms, and coconut palms, in 12 grama panchayats, including Panamaram, Thariyode, Padinharethara, Thavinhal, Pozhuthana, Edavaka Muttil, and Mananthavady, Principal Agricultural Officer M. P. Vatsamma told The Hindu .
The untimely rain adversely affected 666 farmers in the district, she said. As per reports, 1,11,500 bunched and 68,950 non-bunched banana plantains on 67 hectares have been uprooted in the heavy rain. An estimated loss of US $400,000 has occurred in the plantain sector alone, affecting 421 farmers.
Vegetables, including bitter gourd, amaranths, cow pea, pumpkin, cassava, and cucumber in 11 hectares in various parts of the district, especially in Mananthavady taluk, have been destroyed in the rain, Ms. Vatsamma said.
source: thehindu.com
