Cashew farmers in Nagapattinam district are grappling with a significant decline in yield this season, with losses estimated between 40 per cent and 50 per cent. Cashew is cultivated on over 5,000 acres in the district, but unseasonal rains, combined with widespread pest infestations, have severely impacted the crop across major cultivation zones such as Vedaranyam and Keezhaiyur. Farmers say this year’s setback is particularly distressing as the region had only recently begun to recover from the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gaja in 2018. "After Cyclone Gaja, it took us several years to restore our cashew plantations. Just as yields were beginning to show promise again, this season has delivered another blow," farmer Saravanan K.R. said.