Harvest of samba paddy begins in Tiruchi district

Harvesting of samba paddy has begun in a few parts of Tiruchi district and initial reports indicate that the yield would be good and normal.

While harvesting is expected to reach its peak in another 10 days in most parts of the district, farmers in tail-end areas of some of the major irrigation canals say that they still require water for irrigation at least till February 15.

Paddy has been raised on about 41,347 hectares (ha) in the district, sources in the Agriculture Department said.

Although the department had set a target to cover nearly 50,000 ha, the non-availability of water in the tail-end areas has resulted in a shortfall. In some places, farmers in the tail-end areas have not even raised the crop.

“While farmers in the upper reaches of the irrigation canals were able to go in for the cultivation by October, we in tail-end areas of the New Kattalai High Level Canal had to wait for over a month to get water. The quantum of water released in the canals was not adequate. Besides, failure to desilt the canals and illegal tapping of water by some persons using lift irrigation resulted in few places getting no water. Unless, we get water till February 15, we may have to face crop losses in the tail-end areas,” said R. Subramanian, deputy secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.

The Agriculture Department is hoping to make up for the shortfall in samba coverage by promoting pulses.

Meanwhile, the department officials said that samba paddy harvest has been completed in about 400 hectares and expect a good harvest. “The initial crop cutting experiments at a couple of places, indicate the yield will be good. We expect an average yield of seven to eight tonnes a hectare,” said S. M. Uduman Mohideen, Joint Director of Agriculture. Crop cutting experiments would be held at about 32 villages, only after which the average yield would be known.

Farmers too are cautiously optimistic. “We expect the yield to be normal, though not bountiful. Thankfully, there was no widespread attack of the much feared blast disease in the crop,” said N. Veerasekaran, coordinator, Ayyan Vaical Pasantharar Sangam. Farmers expect around 35-40 bags (of 60kg) each this season, he indicated.

Source