TIRUCHY: Efforts by the agriculture department to boost pulse cultivation are showing early promise in Tiruchy. Following the samba paddy harvest, farmers have sown pulses on about 6,136 acres - a significant step towards achieving the annual target of 24,404 acres for 2024-25.
According to officials, farmers in Tiruchy and the delta districts traditionally practice the Rice Fallow system to cultivate pulses such as black gram, red gram, and green gram. This low-cost method involves broadcasting seeds manually into the standing paddy crop 7 to 10 days before harvest or dibbling them immediately after the paddy is harvested, ensuring uniform growth under optimal soil moisture conditions, officials said.
Pulse cultivation in the district is concentrated in blocks such as Thiruverumbur, Anthanallur, Musiri, Mannachanallur, Pullambadi, and Lalgudi. "The summer season offers an excellent opportunity to grow these cash crops, which can fetch between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 per acre with minimal input costs," said V Kannan, a farmer from Thiruverumbur. For 2024-25 season, the agriculture department has raised its pulse cultivation target to 24,404 acres, up from 23,095 acres in 2023-24.
With the samba paddy harvest well underway, officials said that pulse sowing has already commenced on 6,136 acres as of January 31. "Following the district administration's concerted efforts, we have covered 6,136 acres so far. Given that pulse cultivation reached a peak of 10,885 acres last year, we expect to surpass that figure this year," a senior agriculture department official said. In a related development, the Union government has announced a six-year mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with a special focus on tur, urad, and masoor.
Under the scheme, central agencies including the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India will procure these pulses, based on agreements with registered farmers. Officials believe that this initiative will further encourage the cultivation of pulses, particularly black gram, across the district.