Tamil Nadu's Crop Crisis: Why Delayed Damage Assessments Leave Farmers in Limbo

While the state government’s decision to scrap the app-based GPS verification system and revert to the conventional manual method was welcomed after prolonged protests, farmers remain sceptical about whether the assessment will be completed on time and compensation released without further delay.

Heavy rains across the delta districts wreaked havoc on samba and thalady cultivation, submerging nearly 90,000 hectares, or about 2.22 lakh acres, of crops. In several pockets, water stagnation lasted for more than a week after the rains, resulting in large-scale crop decay and leaving farmers unsure about the viability of their fields for the next cycle.

The government had ordered crop damage assessment in the last week of October using an upgraded app-based GPS verification system. However, technical issues such as network failure and practical difficulties in the field slowed the process considerably.

As delays mounted, farmers across the delta demanded a rollback of the digital method and a return to the conventional system, arguing that the new approach was unsuitable during disaster conditions.

Following sustained protests, the government reverted to manual enumeration, retaining a mandatory minimum of 10 per cent app-based verification in each district. Despite this shift, farmers say the pace of assessment remains slow and uneven. Many are unwilling to begin reworking their lands before the process is completed, fearing it could affect damage verification and compensation eligibility.

At the same time, delaying land preparation risks further degradation and could disrupt the next cultivation season. Staff shortages have compounded the problem. Assistant Agriculture Officers responsible for assessments have reportedly been assigned multiple revenue villages, making it difficult to complete surveys quickly and accurately.

Farmers argue that the workload per officer is unrealistic, especially during a widespread calamity affecting multiple districts. The damage spans Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, and parts of Pudukkottai and Tiruchy, with Nagapattinam among the worst hit after recording around 300 mm of rainfall within 36 hours.

Tender samba and thalady crops, barely two weeks old, were completely submerged in many areas. Agriculture department officials say efforts are now underway to speed up the process and clear the backlog.

To overcome the manpower crunch, additional Assistant Agriculture Officers have been deployed from non-delta districts, and assessment work is being carried out intensively.

Officials indicate that a significant portion of the enumeration has been completed and that the remaining surveys are expected to be wrapped up shortly, after which compensation procedures can move forward, enabling farmers to restore their fields and prepare for the next agricultural cycle.

- IANS