THANJAVUR: Even as Samba paddy harvest ends in Thanjavur district, the average yield shows significant increase compared to last year when the crop was affected due to heavy rain.
Long-term Samba paddy was cultivated on 1,39,512 hectares in the district and harvest of the entire crop is now complete. To calculate the average yield during the season, the Agriculture Department, along with the statistical department, conducted 96 crop-cutting experiments across the district. "These experiments show an average yield of 5,550 kg per hectare," an official from the Agriculture Department told The New Indian Express.
This is 79 per cent higher than last year's average yield of 3,100 kg per hectare. Crops were affected by excess rain during Samba season last year, and therefore, the yield was less, officials said. They also sad the current year yield of 5,550 kg per hectare is the best yield during the season in the State.
Though average yield is higher in the district, there have been differences in the yield within the district. In Tiruvaiyaru region where harvest was done late, the yield has been very high. "In our area some farmers have got yield as high as 6,750 kg per hectare," S Sivakumar, a farmer from Tiruvaiyaru area, said.
The yield is not uniform across the district and across the period of harvest. T Murugesan of Maruthuvakkudi near Swamimalai said he got only 24 bags of 60 kg each per acre , which accounts for 3,600 kg per hectare compared to the normal yield 6,000 kg per hectare. He harvested the paddy in the month of January.
In Orathanadu where farmers who had gone for early Samba and harvested paddy in January itself, yield was as low as 20 bags of 60 kg each per acre. This accounts for 3,000 kg per hectare. "However, those who have gone in for a single crop of Samba got up to 40 bags of 60 kg each per acre, which accounts for 6,000 kg per hectare," said Sami Natarajan of Orathanadu. This is way better than the previous year's harvest which was affected by rains, he added.
After Samba, farmers have gone in for summer paddy on around 13,000 hectares. Officials told The New Indian Express that in the early Kuruvai season which commenced on April 1, a total of 400 hectares have been transplanted in blocks like Ammapettai, Kumbakonam and Tiruvidaimarudur.