Wayanad declared as distress-affected district

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 8 (UNI) The Kerala Government today declared Wayanad as distress-affected, in view of the severe agrarian crisis being faced by the district.

Briefing newspersons here after a meeting of the State Cabinet, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said the decision was taken on the basis of a recommendation from the State Agricultural Debt Relief Commission (SADRC).

Several debt-ridden farmers had committed suicide during the past few years in the district where pepper, coffee, banana, rice and arecanut were among the major crops that were being cultivated.

The farmers engaged in cultivation of all these crops were facing severe crisis due to fall in prices, diseases and low productivity.

According to sources, the SADRC, headed by Justice K A Abdul Gafoor, pointed out that the farmers who had taken loans for agricultural and other purposes, were being pushed into debt traps as they were unable to repay the loans.

They said that when an area was declared distress-affected, the individual farmers need not submit separate documents to claim the various reliefs announced by the Government for distress-affected farmers.

UNI