Question : CROP LOSS

(a) whether the Government has taken note of banana plantation hit severely by disease in various States, including Maharashtra;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether various crops/farm produce including fruits in the country are affected by pests, weeds and other diseases, leading to drop in production;

(d) if so, the loss incurred during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise and crop-wise;

(e) whether any compensation has been provided to the farmers to offset the losses; and

(f) if so, the details of such compensation disbursed during the above period, State- wise?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)

(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.


STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 384 DUE FOR REPLY ON 7TH DECEMBER, 2010.

(a) & (b): The State Government of Maharashtra has reported incidence of Sigatoka leaf spot disease in banana plantation in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. Out of total area of 44,302 hectares under banana cultivation in the State, 19,069 hectares is reported to be affected due to Sigatoka disease.

(c) & (d): While scientific estimates of crop losses due to pests, weeds and diseases in the country are not available as the damage depends on various factors including weather conditions, crop cultural practices and plant protection practices, the crop losses are assessed to range between 10 to 30 per cent annually, depending on severity of pest attack. In Maharashtra, incidence of bacterial blight and wilt in pomegranate crop and phytopthora in citrus crop are reported. In Kerala, yellowing in ginger cultivation is reported. No other State Government has reported major reduction in production of various horticultural crops due to pests, weeds and diseases. Among other crops, occurrence of swarming leaf eating caterpillar on rice was reported in Orissa, semilooper and Spodoptera on soybean in Maharashtra, whitefly and leaf curl virus on cotton in Punjab and Haryana and bacterial leaf blight on rice in Kerala this year.

(e) & (f): Financial assistance was given by the State Government of Maharashtra to the farmers in tobacco leaf eating caterpillar affected areas under soybean cultivation in Maharashtra in 2008-09 @Rs.5,000 per hectare.