Kerala seeks ₹110 crore emergency aid for flood-hit farmers
The Kerala government has requested the Centre to release approximately ₹110 crore in emergency financial assistance to mitigate losses in the farm sector caused by torrential rain and floods that have affected large parts of the State over the past week. Agriculture Minister T. Siddique made the announcement on Friday (August 7, 2026).
According to Mr. Siddique, the losses sustained by the agricultural sector have been estimated at around ₹99.29 crore as of Thursday evening. He said 36,829 farmers have been affected, and about 3,264 hectares of agricultural land have been impacted by the heavy rain and subsequent floods.
“I have sent a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, requesting him to immediately release an emergency assistance of ₹110 crore to tide over the ongoing crisis,” he said.
The Minister said he would visit Kuttanad on Sunday (August 9, 2026) to take stock of the heavy loss to the agricultural sector in the region. A review meeting has also been scheduled in Alappuzha as part of the exercise, he said.
Mr. Siddique said a meeting of nationalised and co-operative banks would be held on Monday to discuss a special financial scheme for farmers, who have incurred losses, to help resume their agricultural work.
The Department of Agriculture will open about 2,000 fairs to check the rise in prices of vegetables in connection with the Onam festival. The government has earmarked around ₹20 crore towards this initiative under the Horticorp and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam. The Cabinet has approved a proposal to increase the assistance for crop loss given to farmers by 25%, he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said the government was planning to offer weightage marks to students who participate in farming activities. “We will launch ‘kathir karshika clubs’ in all schools to bring more youth into agriculture,” he said.
The request for emergency relief comes amid widespread damage to crops and infrastructure in Kerala following intense rainfall. The State government has been assessing the full extent of the damage to prepare a detailed memorandum for the Centre. The Central government has not yet responded to the Minister's request.
