TIRUCHY : Cotton cultivation should have begun by now on about 8,000 hectares on Tiruchy. However, farmers are waiting for rain. They apprehend that if there is no rain in the next three weeks, they would have to abandon cultivation as any delay would interfere with samba cultivation.
“We start preparatory and plantation by June so harvest can be done before samba season in October. We depend on rain for cotton cultivation. If we cannot start before the last week of this month, we will have to abandon cotton and go for short-term maize or cattle fodder cultivation,” said K Subramanian of Thottiam.
Mayilsamy, another farmer, said, “If the cotton harvest is completed by October, only then can farmers carry out samba paddy cultivation. Farmers cannot plant cotton after the last week of July as it will delay the harvest to November or December and farmers would miss out on samba cultivation.”
Rajeshwaran, an Agriculture department official in Tiruchy, said, “All the 8,300 hectares of cotton cultivation is done in rain-fed areas like Thuraiyur, Thottiam and others. With all parts facing water crisis, farmers have not been involved in any agriculture.” He added farmers should start before the last week of July or change to maize and cattle fodder cultivation.
Problems a plenty
If the cotton harvest is completed by October, only then can farmers carry out samba paddy cultivation. Farmers cannot plant cotton after the last week of July as it will delay the harvest to November or December and farmers would miss out on samba cultivation. All the 8,300 hectares of cotton cultivation is done in rain-fed areas like Thuraiyur, Thottiam and others