CUDDALORE: Nearly 2,500 direct and indirect nursery workers in Cuddalore district are currently out of work. Adding to their woes, the owners, who say they have lost around Rs 10 crore, need to pay huge electricity bills with no source of income and find a way to save thousands of saplings.

Besides Pudukottai and Krishnagiri districts, Cuddalore produces large quantities of saplings used both for commercial and agricultural purposes.

Although within Tamil Nadu, orders for weddings and other events are a big source of income, other states too constitute a major market.

Speaking to Express, P Sakthivel, State president of Indian Nurserymen Association at Vegakollai said,

“Annually, 15 to 20 crore saplings are raised in the district and most of them are grown at nearly 100 nurseries at two villages — Vegakollai and Koranapattu. For cultivation, preservation, and transportation, as many as 2,000 workers are directly and indirectly engaged.

“Due to the prevailing conditions, we could not transport 5,000 saplings to Hosur and 60,000 saplings to Nellore. This has resulted in a huge loss.

Additionally, payment of electricity bills and costs of safeguarding the saplings are adding to our woes,” said Sakthivel.

Rajamani, Deputy Director of Horticulture in Cuddalore said, "We have so far given 705 passes for horticulture products like vegetables and fruits. We request nursery workers to approach us for passes so that they can move the produce. In case of electricity bill, we will consult the collector.”