Migration is only option for Uddanam farmers

  Srikakulam:Migration to other areas for earning something to run families is only available option now for farmers of Uddanam areain Srikakulam district.

Uddanam area covered in seven mandals,Itchapuram, Kaviti, Kanchili, Sompeta, Mandasa, Palasa and Vajrapukotturu these mandals are located adjacent to sea coast. After hitting Titli cyclone hard farmers lost their coconut, cashew, mango,drumstick crops.

In all seven mandals these horticulture crops are damaged fully in an extent of 1.02 lakh acres. In Kaviti and Kanchili mandals coconut loss is heavy than other mandals. In Mandasa, palasa, Vajrapukotturu mandals cashew and drumstick trees were completely damaged due to Titli affect.

Unlike other crops coconut and cashew needsmore period for its revival. Normally to grow up cashew tree tillharvesting stage at least eight years period is required. For Coconuttree minimum ten years required to get yield.

If a farmer lost his paddy crop he can overcome the loss for some extent in next season.But cashew and coconut farmers have no option. Same period is required for mango trees also. Drumstick crop also required more than four years to get yield.

‘We have invested lakhs of rupees on coconut trees and nowwe lost it due to cyclone and for revival ten years required till then we need some amount for investment and to run our families and our children education’ coconut farmers, Gondyala Ramamurthy of Bejjiputtuga, Yenni Devaraju of Chandiputtuga villages in Kaviti mandal poured their woes.

Rammurthy lost coconut in five acres and Devaraju lost coconut in six acres. We are planning to migrate other areas for earning to run our families they said. ‘Cashew crop needs more investment and removal of damaged trees is a big task for us and we have to wait another eight years to get yield’ cashew farmers Seepana Venkata Ramana of Byripuram and Borra Appala Raju of Bejjiputtuga villages said.

We cannot cultivate our lands again and unable to grown cashew trees again. Venkata Ramana lost four acres cashew and AppalaRaju lost three acres crop.