Kuttanadu, the 'granary of Kerala' destroyed by the flood

The area is more than two meters below sea level. 80% of the population is employed in the agricultural sector or in livestock breeding. The initial estimate of losses is 200 million euros. Rice and tapioca crops, the main local foods,  destroyed.

Changanacherry (AsiaNews) - After the recent flood, while the major part of flood hit families are returning to their houses (from relief centres or from relative’s houses),  unfortunately the people from Kuttanadu area (the zone which is 2.2 m below sea level – the lowest altitude in India) are still held up in relief centres. 

Kuttanadu is the granary of Kerala.  80% the people are engaged either in agriculture or in cattle field.   They are the only source of income for major part of families in Kuttanadu in Alappuzha district.  Youngsters who have joined professional courses like  engineering, nursing or other university courses pay their fees (or reimburse bank loans) from the income of their parents which come from cultivation of rice or from diary. 

Farmers from Kuttanadu before pitching into their paddy fields, firstly have to reconstruct their damaged houses, and then only they will turn to the cultivation. The flood, which has caused heavy loss to Kerala’s agriculture and dairy sector, could impact the state’s already deficient food production as well as the livelihood of lakhs of farmers.

Farmers who are not able to possess pumps for irrigation, take them in rent for 7 months.  All the pumps which were located in agricultural fields got sucked completely by the water.  The unfortunate ones are worried for not being useful of these pumps and at the same time, have to pay their monthly rent.

According to the estimate of Kerala Agriculture department, there is a lost of about 200 mln euro.  300 thousand farmers are directly affected by the flood . These number are indicative, according to Mr. Justin Mohan, Director of Agriculture. According to the preliminary assessment, standing crops cultivated on 56439.19 hectares are already destroyed. The worst affected was paddy cultivation, which has suffered loss on 25,934 hectares. Tapioca came second at 10,189 hectares. With rice and tapioca being major staple foods in Kerala, the loss of both crops would impact the state’s food sufficiency in the coming months.

• ndia
• Kerala
• flood
• rains
• losses
• granary
• kuttanadu
• farmers
• harvest
• rice
• tapioca
• floods