Thousands of marginal farmers will continue to be in a debt trap following the huge damage caused to the standing crops in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts by Cyclone Gulab and the consequent floods.
Many farmers and tenant farmers invested around ₹15,000 per acre depending on the crop and were hoping to get a bumper yielding within a few weeks when the storm has put paid to their hopes. Their combined investment of nearly ₹165 crore was drained by the crop damage in nearly 1.10 lakh acres. Paddy, maize, groundnut, banana and vegetable crops were badly hit in the two districts.
Though e-crop insurance facility is available, many farmers were unable to upload the details of their crops due to illiteracy and lack of communication. Moreover, the farmers who lease out their lands to tenants are not allowing the latter to opt for e-crop insurance due to the fear of losing their right over the land.
Around 1.63 lakh farmers in Srikakulam district opted for the insurance facility while nearly 1.09 lakh farmers could not upload their details on the website. The same is the case with Vizianagaram where 40,000 farmers could not utilise the facility.
According to TDP senior leader Kalisetti Appala Naidu many farmers are not interested in going for the e-crop facility due to the inordinate delay in assessment of damage. "Agriculture department takes many months to complete the damage assessment process. The small compensation paid thereafter only disillusions farmers. At least now, the government should form special teams quickly and assess the damage, taking each village as a unit. Then only, farmers will get financial assistance quickly," he opines.
The government should take up immediate steps for payment of compensation to save farmers from falling into a debt trap, says Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader Birlangi Umamaheswara Rao. "Many tenant farmers invest in agriculture by borrowing money at high interest rates. However, in many cases, financial assistance and other benefits are paid to landowners. As tenant farmers are the actual victims of floods and cyclones their interests need to be protected. Their details must be enrolled in e-crop insurance scheme," he says.