CHENNAI: The heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Nivar has submerged 9,468 hectares of paddy and other crops, says the preliminary estimates of the State Agriculture Department.
The department officials swung into action swiftly after the cyclone crossed the coast, to drain the water in these lands and save the crops. Delta districts escaped the wrath of Nivar as the system moved through a different path.
The impact on agriculture this time has been in districts including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai among others. Also, unlike Gaja of 2018, which damaged lakhs of coconut trees, this time, precautionary steps were taken to mitigate the impact.
“Paddy crops in 8,470 hectares, pulses in 428 hectares, oilseed crops in 570 hectares and other crops in 998 hectares have been inundated. The Agriculture department has taken to saving the standing crops by draining the water quickly. We are confident that at least 60 percent of these crops could be saved within a few days,” a senior official in the Agriculture Department told The New Indian Express.
“When the water is drained, the standing crops can be revived by applying micro nutrients, urea, etc., But the pulse crops cannot withstand even two days of inundation of water. So, in such cases, expeditious steps are being taken to drain the water.”
Agriculture Department Extension Officers are in constant touch with the farmers in this regard
Asked about the farmers’ demand for extending the deadline for enrollment under the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme, officials said, “Still there is time upto November 30 for farmers in 22 districts to insure their crops in 22 districts while farmers in nine other districts have time till December 15. During the past one week alone, crops in over 12 lakh acres have been insured.”
AREAS in trouble
750 hectares in Kancheepuram
2,225 hectares in Tiruvallur
1,335 hectares in Cuddalore
1,205 hectares in Villupuram
958 hectares in Tiruvannamalai
2,760 hectares in Chengalpattu
235 hectares in Ranipet