Puri: Cyclone Amphan has caused widespread devastation on acres of betel vines under Kakatpur, Astaranga, Nimapara, Gop and Pipili blocks in Puri district.
Amphan-induced crop loss has become a double whammy on local betel farmers who were badly affected by cyclone Fani last year. Over past several months, the farmers had struggled hard to stabilize their finances, however, damage of betel vines have now added to their woes.
“Fani had taken away our annual earning. Just when we were about to start selling betel leaves this year, Amphan broke our backbone,” Pratap Nayak, a betel farmer of Kakatpur said.
“As thousands of acres of betel vines are damaged, farmers here are worried as to how to repay loans worth lakhs. The state government should extend its support to us,” Nayak added.
Local betel markets of Nayahata, Othaka, Pipili, Astaranga, Kundhei, Balanga and Niali depend upon these farmers. Betels are also supplied to markets of Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Vishakhapatnam and Bangladesh, local betel farmers informed.
Notably, a large segment of denizens from farming community here depend on betel farming.
