Wed May 21 16:05:58 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

Unseasonal rains in Nagapattinam and Karaikal districts of India since last Friday are threatening cotton crops that are in the flowering stage. Farmers have already had to replant multiple times due to previous unseasonal rain. They fear significant yield loss and financial hardship. Crop insurance has been unreliable in the past, increasing the farmers’ vulnerability.

**News Article:**

**Unseasonal Rains Threaten Cotton Crops in Nagapattinam and Karaikal, Farmers Face Potential Ruin**

**NAGAPATTINAM, India -** (May 21, 2025) – Cotton farmers in the Nagapattinam and Karaikal districts of Tamil Nadu are facing potential financial devastation as unseasonal rains continue to plague their crops. Since last Friday, persistent rainfall has jeopardized cotton plants in the critical flowering stage, raising serious concerns about yield loss.

Farmers in Nagapattinam, where cotton is cultivated on approximately 2,700 hectares, report having to replant up to three times due to unseasonal rains in the previous months. “We’ve had to sow seeds three times already,” said P. Balasubramanian, Alathur Panchayat president in Tirumarugal. “The rains have caused the flowers to wither, potentially affecting yields.” He estimates a loss of at least 200 kg per acre if the rain continues.

The situation is similar in Karaikal, where cotton is grown on over 2,500 acres. D.N. Suresh of the Kadaimadai Vivasayigal Sangam stated that unpredictable weather has plagued cotton farmers in Karaikal for the past five years. He expressed a lack of confidence in crop insurance, stating they rarely receive adequate compensation. He also said that farmers take loans out to cultivate cotton and that continued rains would cause extreme hardship this year. The early rains are hitting at a critical juncture, potentially destroying the current crop and leaving many farmers deeply in debt.

Farmers are calling for government assistance and improved crop insurance schemes to mitigate the impact of these increasingly frequent and unpredictable weather events.

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