UNSEASONABLE RAINS DEVASTATE KERALA'S CROPS AND EXPOSE

UNCLAS CHENNAI 000113 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON IN SUBJECT: UNSEASONABLE RAINS DEVASTATE KERALA'S CROPS AND EXPOSE COMMUNIST ANACHRONISMS ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: An unseasonable spell of rain hit the South India state of Kerala in mid-March as farmers were preparing to harvest rice causing an estimated crop loss of USD 45 million. The unusual downpours also caused political trouble for the state's ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). The party's opponents claim that local CPI(M)-led trade unions compounded the problem by enforcing policies that prevented farmers from using machines to harvest crops before they were destroyed. The rains exposed the CPI(M)'s anachronistic attitudes and handed its opponents a golden opportunity to score some political points. END SUMMARY FARMERS LOSE HARVEST-READY CROPS . . . -------------- ¶2. (U) Unseasonably heavy March rains lashed Kerala causing major crop losses and 14 deaths. According to media reports, farmers lost crops worth USD 45 million. Rice accounted for 60 percent of the losses; the rest were predominantly coffee and black pepper. Political leaders from across the spectrum appealed to New Delhi for disaster assistance. The central government will send a team to assess damages in Kerala and is expected to recommend a relief package, according to press reports. The state government announced its own assistance package and will begin disbursement later this week. ... WHILE THE CPI(M) LOSES FACE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy (Congress) and allied party leaders charged that the losses would have been much smaller had the CPI(M)-led Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilali (Agricultural Workers) Union allowed farmers to use mechanical harvesters. Chandy explained that the union's muscle power allows it to act as de facto parallel government: the union requires farmers obtain permission and pay the union a fee if they want to harvest crops with machines.. Chandy pointed out that, faced with shortage of manual labor, several farmers in the rice district of Kuttanad appealed in vain to the local unions for permission to use harvesting machines days before the rains hit the crops. Chandy and allied party leaders staged a symbolic protest, riding to farms on a harvesting machine. Kerala media, including a left-of-center newspaper, highlighted the plight of farmers at the hands of the leftist unions, embarrassing the government. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The CPI(M)'s opposition to the mechanization of farm operations was popular in the 1960s when cheap manual labor was plenty. Since then Kerala has experienced large scale migration to the Gulf countries and Indian metros. Despite these demographic shifts, the CPI(M) remains mired in the past with labor unions dictating policies that hamper the agricultural sector. Sadly, the combination of unseasonable rains and the state's anachronistic labor relations have ruined this season's crop for many Kerala farms. END COMMENT. HOPPER