The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Areca loss: Centre to release Rs. 10 crore

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Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Areca loss: Centre to release Rs. 10 crore

M. Raghuram

BANGALORE: The Union Government has promised to release Rs. 10 crore as initial payment towards the losses incurred by areca growers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, while efforts are on to assess the loss in six other areca growing districts of the State because of the recent rains.

According to chairman of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank, M.N. Rajendra Kumar, the appeal of the areca growers in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada and Chitradurga has received a positive response and the Union Minister for State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh and Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar had assured them of help.

Mr. Kumar told The Hindu that areca plantations in all the above districts had suffered extensive damage between July and August, and that the losses had been heavy in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Areca trees had been damaged and plantations hit by “kole roga.”

This came close on the heels of a condition known as “dieback of inflorescence” or bottom-shedding disease that affected crops in the two districts.

Due to the heavy rains spraying of Bordeaux mixture at regular intervals could not be taken up, making the situation worse.

Losses have been put at Rs. 250 crore in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts alone.

According to preliminary reports from other districts, particularly Shimoga and Kodagu where rainfall had been heavy, the damage to areca plantations is high.

Chairman of the second Administrative Reforms Commission M. Veerappa Moily said the plantation crop loss could not be assessed on the lines of the agricultural crop loss.

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