NAGAPATTINAM: After the cyclone-induced rains, which the farmers claim have spoiled their Samba and Thaladi crops, in a positive turn of events, farmers in Nagapattinam said they have started direct sowing in an attempt to revive the yield.
With the Mettur irrigation closing at the end of January, farmers said they are investing an additional amount of Rs 30,000 per acre as they are left with around 50 days of irrigation, and the direct-sown thaladi crops will roughly take 110 days to mature. Farmers have now begun direct sowing of the CO 51 paddy variety, said S R Tamilselvan from Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association.
Farmers say that direct sowing is currently in progress in over 3,000 acres in unions such as Kilvelur, Keezhaiyur, Thalainayar, and Nagapattinam. “The Mettur dam closes on January 28, leaving around 50 days remaining, and crops need at least 100 days to grow.
"Nagapattinam lacks borewells due to saline groundwater and depends on delayed canal water as a tail-end district, making cultivation unviable without further rains,” Tamilselvan said.
“In these conditions, to try their hand at another round of cultivation, the farmers have gone for a short-period paddy crop variety, expecting to manage irrigation with the leftover water in canals and some rain,” he added.
Sivakumar, a farmer from Palayur, said he lost his two acres of Samba and Thaladi crops to the rains, and is now investing in another round of cultivation.
“In the rain, all my crops were lost. The field was filled with rainwater for almost 25 days, which spoiled the crops. Since all the other farmers are trying their hand at another round of cultivation, I am investing too,” Sivakumar said.
“In the last two days, I have invested Rs 9,000 in buying the seeds, preparing the fields and for labour. It will reach around Rs 30,000 per acre, including agriculture labour, pesticides, and fertilisers,” he added.