Ramanathapuram
As part of the disaster management measures, Collector K Veera Raghava Rao has made field visits to coconut farms and advised coconut farmers to take precautionary measures to save the trees and other horticulture crops when ‘Fani’ cyclone will hit the coast on April 30 or May 1.
As the meteorological department has forecast that the coastal districts of northern Tamil Nadu would receive heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds when the cyclone would cross the coast, the government has asked the agriculture and horticulture departments to initiate a series of precautionary measures to save the crops.
As the Gaja cyclone had destroyed lakhs of coconut trees in the delta districts in November last, the Collector, addressing coconut farmers at Vanniaynkulam in Mandapam block on Saturday, asked them to take precautionary measures and protect the coconut and other horticultural trees which were vulnerable to the heavy winds and rainfall.
Stating that the presence of mature coconuts, tender coconuts, green and dried branches in large numbers on the crown of the yielding coconut trees may lead to complete uprooting of trees or breaking of bole or trunk due to cyclonic storm, Mr. Rao asked the farmers to remove all the green and dried branches, tender and matured coconuts.
They should just leave the tender branches alone in the trees to save the trees during cyclonic activities, he said. Coconut trees could withstand gale if the crown part of the coconut trees had lesser weight, he said. Coconut trees were cultivated on 8,652 hectares in the coastal areas of the district.
Similarly, farmers should save mango, jackfruit and cashew crops by pruning the lateral branches, twigs and excessive leaves, he said.
Joint Director of Agriculture A. Selvarajan, Personal Assistant to Collector (Agriculture) S.S. Shaiek Abdulah and Assistant Director P.G. Nagarajan were present during the interaction.