Farmers who cultivate coconuts in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu are very sad these days. He says that these trees are infected with Kerala root as coconut trees have been cut over five thousand acres. In this disease, the roots of the trees are completely dry. Farmers say the disease is spreading rapidly and in such a situation, many acres of coconut fields are quickly affected. Earlier, many coconut trees were cut in Kerala and Bangalore.
Three lakh rupees to be compensated
In the next two years, farmers say the situation will be intense if the government does not take proper measures for the prevention. It is said that about two lakh coconut trees can be cut over the next two years. They say that farmers are currently compensated for Rs. He says it is difficult to get daily expenses in such a sum. For them, the cutting of trees has arisen in front of them. Farmers are demanding compensation for at least three lakh rupees per acre for farmers suffering from root.
Causing destruction of the disease
Isan Murugasamy, founder of the Tamilaka Visaikal Pudukku Society, told the New Indian Express: “Tamil Nadu is the second largest state in coconut production after Karnataka. Of the 29 districts, it is cultivated in about 12 lakh hectares of land, of which 2.10 lakh acres are only in Coimbatore. According to them, coconut peanuts are very grown in the state after peanuts, and it plays a major role in oil production. Currently, Tamil Nadu has suffered a major loss since 2019 due to Kerala Wilet. He said this was due to the lack of prevention. For this reason, the disease has become uncontrollable and is now causing excessive acreage.
The disease ends in Kerala
He said the disease was successfully eliminated in Kerala when it came out of the state. But so far no action has been taken by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department. For them, for the past six years, agricultural researchers in Tamil Nadu have been losing their time in funding from the government, while they have not been able to find any proper measures or treatment. Due to this, Murugasamy says its production has declined by 60 per cent.
D Ratna Sabapathi, co -secretary of the South Indian Coconut Manufacturers Association, said that all the farms in Aliyar near Bolachi are suffering from Wilet. Once an infection in the tree has, the entire sector will be destroyed at any time, he said. To remove the affected trees on one acre, farmers have to spend at least Rs 2 lakh to cut down trees and Rs. In such a situation, the current compensation is not enough.
Coconut is expensive
Businessman P Jivanath, the businessman who bought coconuts from farmers in Bolachi, said in 2023 at Rs 18-19 per kg. The disease has been a major decrease in yield. Usually we collect 2,000 coconuts per acre. Now it has come to 800 coconuts. Due to this, the price has increased to Rs 55 per kg. If the yield is constantly declining, it will increase. Experts have advised farmers to provide nutrients and organic medications to strengthen the trees to cope with the disease.
More read-
. Message in Hindi
Story Credit