CHENNAI: Even as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is set to open the Mettur Dam in his home district on Thursday, the agriculture department has issued an advisory to farmers in delta region detailing the schedule for going about paddy cultivation for Samba season.
Since Mettur dam could not be opened on June 12, the customary date, for Kuruvai cultivation, a special package at a cost of 115.7 crores was announced by the CM to support paddy cultivation in the delta region. A target of three lakh acres was set, of which 2.25 lakh acres were covered, according to officials.
With the sky opening up in recent days in the catchment areas, the dams across Cauvery river in neighbouring Karnataka began swelling fast, resulting in the release of a huge quantity of water from those dams to protect them from any potential risks.
Assessing the situation and the fact that the Stanley Reservoir is receiving about one lakh cusecs, the Chief Minister announced a release of water for Cauvery delta region for irrigation.In this background, the agriculture department has issued the advisory to farmers. They have been asked to go about preparing the land with green manure, delaying the planting of seedlings.
As immediate planting would render the crop at the flowering stage to the onslaught of northeast monsoon, the authorities have suggested August second week for raising nurseries and planting subsequently.
Moreover, farmers have been told to opt for long duration paddy varieties given the coincidence of the northeast monsoon with its cultivation.
“Farmers are now asked to go for land preparation for Samba cultivation. The required nursery can be raised only during second week of August with long duration varieties to avoid coincidence of flowering stage with northeast monsoon season,” a top agriculture official told Express on Wednesday. He explained that this would help avert crop loss during the northeast monsoon.
Long duration varieties, including CR 1009 and ADT 49, have been suggested for Samba cultivation.
These apart, joint directors of agriculture in delta districts have been instructed to keep adequate stock of seeds, micronutrient mixtures and fertilisers, and mobilise enough number of machineries like tractors, power tillers and transplanters.
They have also been directed to formulate an integrated and systematic plan in consultation with PWD officials to use water judiciously for irrigation. Paddy is expected to be cultivated in nine lakh hectares in the delta region during Samba season.
Let the preps begin