MAYILADUTHURAI: His crops stand proud and tall —over seven feet high. And yes, it escaped inundation caused by the monsoon rains. At the time when farmers across the delta districts were struggling to salvage their crops, this 55-year-old humble cultivator from Melanallur village in Mayiladuthurai district has managed to beat all odds.
Data records that over 5,000 hectares in Mayiladuthurai were submerged in the heavy rains during the last month. However, G Jayakumar’s crops stand seven feet tall. The secret to it, he shares, is cultivating traditional varieties like Kichadi Samba, Mappilai Samba and Karuppukavani through organic methods. It grows twice as fast as hybrid and lab-made varieties, he claims.
The survival also depends on factors like geographical disposition, he says. Talking to TNIE, he said, “I was cultivating traditional crops combined with organic farming for years. I did not have troubles like pests.”