A farmer from Papanoor village near Pochampalli in Krishnagiri district has begun cutting down 55 mango trees, each believed to be more than a century old, in a desperate bid to repay mounting bank loans. The farmer, identified as V Palanisamy, 62, stated that he was compelled to take this extreme step due to repeated crop failures and inadequate government support. "I am clearing my two-acre mango orchard to use the money from the timber to clear my dues," he lamented.
Government promises unfulfilled
Palanisamy added that despite election assurances regarding the waiver of cooperative and agricultural loans, the government has not acted on them, leaving farmers under constant pressure from banks. He is not alone in his struggle. Mango farming, a vital source of income in Krishnagiri, has suffered heavily in recent years due to climate change and pest infestations.
Decline in mango cultivation
The district's area under mango cultivation has shrunk from 41,000 hectares to 33,000 hectares. Annual production stands at around 252,436 metric tonnes, supporting over one lakh farmers and labourers. Farmers warn that if nearly 5% continue to abandon mango cultivation each year, the crop may vanish from Krishnagiri within the next decade.
Calls for immediate relief
K Sivaguru, a representative of the KRP dam irrigation farmers' association, has urged the Tamil Nadu government to intervene urgently, establish a separate commission for mango farmers, and provide immediate relief measures.
