TIRUCHY/THANJAVUR/NAGAPATTINAM: Despite uncertainty in getting enough Cauvery water, 3.32 lakh acres of kuruvai has been cultivated in delta districts this season, thanks to the availability of groundwater. While 1.30 lakh acres were covered under kuruvai in Thanjavur, highest among delta districts, 92,500 acres were covered in Tiruvarur. The total kuruvai area may go up after the final count, sources said.
The kuruvai target in both districts was achieved mostly by using groundwater for irrigation as the cut-off date for kuruvai sowing was fixed as July 31. As the water from Kallanai was released only on July 31, the Cauvery water could be used only as a supplementary source for irrigation in addition to the groundwater, official sources said.
In Tiruchy, against the target of 16,250 acres for kuruvai paddy set by the agriculture department, 16,105 acres have been covered. As the groundwater level has improved in the district following the copious flow of water in both the Cauvery and Kollidam rivers for nearly a week, officials said that they have surpassed the targeted area of cultivation this kuruvai season.
Since water was released from Mettur reservoir on its customary date of June 12 in 2023, farmers took up kuruvai cultivation in around 15,000 acres against the 13,000 acres covered during 2022 in Tiruchy district.
While several farmers cultivating kuruvai relied solely on filter point borewells, a considerable number of them from Anthanallur, Musiri, Thottiam and Tiruverumbur irrigate their paddy fields using 14 canals, including Uyyakondan, which receive water from Cauvery, officials said.
“Most of the kuruvai cultivation in Tiruchy is in areas primarily irrigated by filter point borewells. However, the rise in groundwater level due to recent flow in the rivers have encouraged the farmers who rely on Cauvery to undertake kuruvai this season, particularly from Anthanallur, Tiruverumber, and Pullambadi.
We have exceeded our target in these areas,” joint director M Sakthivel said. In the case of Mayiladuthurai, the targeted area of 90,000 has been achieved. In Nagapattinam, farmers have raised kuruvai paddy in around 3,750 acres.