Members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam staging a demonstration in Krishnagiri on Monday.
| Photo Credit: N. BASHKARAN
The Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam staged a protest demonstration demanding compensation for mango growers for the crop loss incurred due to widespread disease here in Krishnagiri on Monday.
The present mango season is overshadowed by disease and fall in productivity across mango growing blocks of Krishnagiri. An earlier estimate by the district administration had tentatively placed the extent of loss at 53%. However, the extent of loss was reportedly higher. The Horticulture Department attributed the disease to “excessive use of pesticides”, which however denied by farmers.
In its wake, mango growers are contending with fall in production due to disease on the one hand and demanding remunerative prices for the produce from the mango pulp industry, on the other.
The Sangam, on behalf of the farmers has demanded compensation of ₹50,000 per acre for mango farmers for the loss incurred. According to the left affiliated farmers, association, the pesticides used by farmers were approved by the horticulture department. Despite using approved pesticides, disease is attributed to overuse of pesticides. The association has demanded blacklisting of pesticides that were widely used by farmers.
The Sangam has also called for subsidy for quality pesticides to enable farmers to make right choices; and advance orientation on the nature of pesticides and fertilizers to be used for the crop. The farmers’ association also demanded pesticide sprayers at subsidy.
Among the major grievances of the farmers is also the lack of remunerative prices from pulp industry that is procuring mangoes from the farmers. According to the farmers’ association, the government should set up pulp industry on cooperative mode that would provide competitive prices for farmers and reduce their dependence on the pulp manufacturers.