THANJAVUR: With Kuruvai transplantation coming to end in Thanjavur district, farmers who have not gone in for the crop have started preparations for long-term Samba paddy cultivation. Usually, farmers raise short-term varieties during Kuruvai season, and mostly those who have got pump sets raise Kuruvai paddy (Crop transplanted till July 31 is calculated as Kuruvai).
According to official sources, Kuruvai coverage this year is likely to be around 70,000 hectares, a record in last 49 years. The reconciliation of records by the Revenue Department about coverage is yet to be completed, and the final figures will be known in a few days, officials said. Meanwhile, farmers have commenced the work for the long-term Samba cultivation.
Nurseries have been raised on around 1,000 hectares in the district, an official from the Agriculture Department said. The comfortable storage in Mettur reservoir, continuous heavy inflow into the dam and widespread rains in the delta district have given hope for the farmers, he added. A total of 250 tonnes of Samba seeds have been distributed to farmers by the department.
Long-term duration seeds like CR 1009-Sub 1 (155-day duration) and ADT 51 (155-160 day duration) are being sought after by farmers during this early Samba period, the official said. The seeds are supplied with 50% subsidy under seed village scheme and with 10% subsidy under National Food Security Mission. V K Chinnadurai, a farmer from Tiruvonam area, said several farmers started sowing paddy seeds for raising Samba nurseries in the block using rainwater and canal water.
In villages like Sivaviduthi and Medayakkollai, which are on raised landscape where canal water cannot flow, farmers are ready to go in for direct sowing, he added. P Kumar, a farmer of Kalimedu near Thanjavur who has been raising mat nursery, said farmers from Tirukkanurpatti, Madhakkottai and Aruputhapuram have booked for nurseries and will be start transplanting of Samba paddy in a week.