TIRUCHY / NAGAPATTINAM: Delta districts received light to moderate rainfall on Monday. Coastal delta districts such as Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts received high rainfall compared to other districts.
There were sporadic showers in Tiruchy district with an average of 2mm recorded in a day. No crop damage was reported - thanks to the advisory of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department to fasten up the harvest process and take precautionary measures. Although harvest was put to halt for the day, some farmers in Pullambadi area were seen stepping into their fields and carrying out harvest works. The Monday rain did not deter them.
Speaking to TNIE, M Murugesan, Joint Director of Agriculture Department said, “Harvest was stopped in Lalgudi blocks, but the process was carried out amid drizzle in parts of Pullambadi area. The continuous drizzle came as a boon for summer crops which are at leafing stage.” He added that following the rainfall alert, about 2,000 to 3,000 hectares of paddy have been cultivated over the weekend in Tiruchy.
Talking about the scenario at DPCs, an official from the Civil Supplies Department said that the procurement process was slow at a few DPCs in Tiruchy, but measures were taken to safeguard the procured paddy. Velmurugan, a farmer from Lalgudi, said that he had to cover his paddy kept outside a DPC with a tarpaulin. He was grateful to have harvested his crops before rain, otherwise he would have to spend extra money on drying paddy.
Venkatesh, a farmer from Pulambadi, said that many farmers in his block preferred to sell paddy in the open market and hence harvested amid the rain. Traders purchased paddy (additional 3kg per bag) considering the increase in moisture content.
The Monday rain came as a mixed bag for farmers in Thanjavur district. In areas like Orathanadu, the harvest is already over and the rains are helpful for crops like blackgram, ground nuts. However for farmers who have started Samba belatedly in areas like Pattukkottai taluk, the rains have affected the harvest.
K A Koothalingam, a farmer from Pallathur village, said the rain has affected he harvest of Samba paddy and put farmers waiting outside DPCs to hardship.
In areas like Manathidal near Tirukkattupalli, the paddy crop ready to harvest has fallen on the ground due to the winds, though there was not much rain.
There were sporadic rains in Tiruvarur district too. Places like Tiruthuraippoondi and Mannargudi received significant rains. As the harvest of paddy is over in Mannargudi area, majority of farmers have gone for blackgram cultivation, for which the rain is welcome.
Farmers in the coastal delta heaved a sigh of relief after the districts received moderate rain. A Sekar of Mannanpanthal village in Mayiladuthurai said, “I have cultivated in around nine acres. The rains were sufficient for the crops. Had it rainsed more, it would have been affected.”
Nagapattinam received 7.3 cm of rainfall from Sunday morning to Monday morning. Mayiladuthurai received a total of 12.6 cm, while Karaikal recorded 2.6 cm of rainfall.
The farmers said the moderate rains this past weekend should not let their demands for crop relief go ignored. “We were not this fortunate last month. We lost hectares of harvest-ready Samba crops and pulse crops due to the unseasonal rains in January and February. That loss still haunts us. We seek relief,” said D Olichandran, a farmer-representative from Vaimedu of Nagapattinam district.
Fishermen, who stayed ashore for the last five days, hope to return to sea today.
(With inputs from Thanjavur and Tiruvarur)