Cashew sector cries for aid

CUDDALORE: Cashew manufacturers and exporters held an agitation in front Collector’s Office here on Tuesday demanding compensation of Rs 2 lakh per hectare for cashew trees and Rs 1 lakh per hectare for jackfruit trees damaged in the cyclone. In their petition to District Collector V Amuthavalli, they said: “Cashew farmers and labourers of cashew factories were left in the lurch as cashew trees in one lakh acres of land were uprooted in Panruti taluk. Counting on these trees for income, farmers sent their children for higher education and planned for their daughters’ marriage. Ironically, they lost everything in the storm.” About 1.5 lakh labourers in cashew factories have lost jobs and are left in the lurch, they stated. The protesters urged the district collector to tour all the villages with a team to assess the damage caused to cashew and jackfruit trees.30 Lakh Chicken DiedContract Farmer’s (Boiler) Welfare Association submitted a petition to the central team on Monday seeking waiver of bank loans as 350 poultry farms were hit by the cyclone. M Karunanidhi, association’s Cuddalore zone president, said: “30 lakh chickens in 350 poultry farms died in the cyclone. Our bank loans should be waived and also loans should be given further to us to restart poultries. Meanwhile, in Chennai, MDMK contributed Rs 10 lakh to the CM’s relief fund for cyclone relief work.