India: Drought hits floriculture in Salem
Farmers who have raised jasmine and oleander (arali) in Panamarathupatti block are struggling to protect the crops in the absence of any rainfall.
The flowers harvested here till recently were directly transported to Bengaluru and other towns in Karnataka, besides VOC Market in Salem city, a major flower market of the western belt. The flower cultivation was so high, that the stock was sent to Bengaluru and other centres every day.
From the beginning the flower plants suffered due to want of rainfall. Some widespread rainfall during last month, raised the hopes of farmers. However, the non-availability of water during the flowering stage has badly hit them.
The farmers did try to water the plants using borewells. But, the new borewells did not yield water even after sinking 1,400 feet.
Read more at The Hindu