Amid extreme heat, farmers reel under crop loss, price fall

Several hectares of paddy fields and plantain farms have been badly hit by the rising temperature in Kozhikode district. Dried up irrigation sources and delaying summer showers continue to be the biggest challenge amidst the price fall of agricultural produce, including fruits and vegetables.

Farmers say those who have been expecting a better yield this year from plantain cultivation are the worst-hit with the adverse climatic condition. Unable to withstand the extreme heat, the fully-grown plantain trees are now falling down with unripe fruits causing huge loss, they lament.

The majority of affected farmers are in the limits of Balussery, Kunnamangalam and Koduvally block panchayats. Farmers in the Mavoor and Peruvayal panchayats have also raised concerns over the huge loss they faced since the beginning of summer season.

“Now the merchants are reluctant to purchase ripe plantain fruits citing its fast perishing in extreme heat. The delayed summer rain is sure to dash the hopes of farmers like me,” says BinuOlikkal, a farmer from Kunnamangalam. He adds the falling demand in the local market is quite a shocker for many, who ventured into farming after securing bank loans.

The heat is equally on for farmers, who experimented with joint farming projects in villages expecting a good return. Neighbourhood groups and local labourers’ collectives are among those who encounter huge loss.

Officials with the agriculture department say they are in the process of estimating total loss as part of submitting a comprehensive report to the State government. Though no interim compensation package has been so far announced for farmers, chances are high for considering the same in the wake of State-level reports, they add.

The data compiled by local bodies indicate that paddy cultivation, in five hectares of land, has already been hit by the extreme heat. Around 30,000 plantain trees have perished as per the preliminary reports from grama panchayats. The loss of farmers, who cultivate coconut, pepper, and other spices is yet to be estimated.