What irks Ranipet district farmers now is that they are now hard up for cash to raise Kuruvai paddy.
“When we approached Primary Agricultural Cooperative Banks (PACBs) we are told to come again and this repeated excuse resulted in loans being delayed or not being given at all,” farmers in district laments
According to Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam youth wing state president R Subash a minimum of 2500 acres was affected by the disease in the district.
Tamil Nadu Farmers Association Vellore district president K Raja said: “It was a total loss for me after cultivating groundnut crop in 3 acres.”
Asked if agriculture department had provided any assistance, Raja replied : “When they came to check the crop, the disease was already in an advanced stage and hence they said nothing could be done.”
Also, Cooperative officials cite the excuse of the central government taking over such banks or else ask us to repay existing loans before seeking a fresh one, reacted farmers in distress .
When why this pandemonium all about , Vellore Central Cooperative Bank (VCCB) chairman V Ramu said, “only town cooperative banks are under the purview of the Reserve Bank of India.
PACBs are still guided by the cooperative department and hence there is no obstacle to farmers obtaining loans.
Also, affected farmers are now being compensated through crop insurance and hence cash will not be an issue to start paddy cultivation,” the official said.
But when asked to farmers weather Crop insurance are happening in time the farmers in that district reacted in negative
With nearly 30,000 acres to be covered by the Kuruvai paddy, expeditious action is necessary if this crop is also not to suffer, sources at farmers revealed under stress
