NAGAPATTINAM: Even though recent rainfall enabled summer ploughing in parts of Nagapattinam, farmers say they are banking on a favourable northeast monsoon for the upcoming samba season amid uncertainty looming over the Mettur dam opening.
The district recorded an average rainfall of 7.6 mm during the 24 hours ending at 6 am on Saturday, according to the district administration. Nagapattinam taluk received the highest average rainfall of 36 mm, followed by Vedaranyam with 4.33 mm and Kilvelur with 1.8 mm, while Thirukkuvalai recorded no rainfall.
Among the individual rain gauge stations, Nagapattinam recorded 36 mm, Thalaignayar 13.6 mm and Velankanni 3.6 mm, while Thirupoondi, Vedaranyam, Kodiyakkarai and Thirukkuvalai recorded no rainfall. The district received a cumulative 53.2 mm of rainfall across its seven rain gauge stations.
S R Tamilselvan of the Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Association said the rainfall would help farmers prepare their fields for cultivation. He noted that agriculture in much of Nagapattinam depends on Cauvery irrigation, as groundwater in several parts of the district is saline and inadequate, making timely rainfall crucial for agricultural operations.
“The extent of samba cultivation solely depends on the onset of the northeast monsoon regardless of the availability of Cauvery water,” Tamilselvan said.
However, the rainfall was uneven across the district, leaving farmers in several areas waiting for another spell before beginning summer ploughing. “The rainfall was not adequate. Nagapattinam received good showers, but the Vedaranyam region recorded only scanty rain. Farmers here will have to wait for another spell before they can begin ploughing,” said K P Ambikapathi of Vedaranyam.
Ambikapathi said another spell of summer rain in August would improve prospects for samba cultivation, which normally begins in September. He said a slightly delayed northeast monsoon would be favourable, as an early onset could result in floods during November and December when the crop is still vulnerable. Farmers are also considering cultivating short-duration paddy varieties of 90 to 120 days to reduce the risk of flood damage or water scarcity later in the season.
“But we cannot decide on the crop or the variety until we receive another spell of rain and have a clearer picture of when the northeast monsoon will begin,” he said. However, Tamilselvan maintained that farmers would opt for 150-day paddy varieties intended for the samba season.