THANJAVUR: The overnight rains that lashed Thanjavur district on Saturday have hit kuruvai paddy harvesting and procurement, much to the distress of farmers. During the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am on Sunday, Budalur in the district recorded the highest rainfall at 90 mm.
Such intense downpour forced farmers to suspend paddy harvesting. According to official sources, kuruvai paddy was cultivated over around 1.82 lakh acres in the district this year, which is a record in 49 years. Of this, harvesting is over in more than one lakh acres and it is in full swing in the remaining areas.
"Harvesting could not be taken up due to the rains," said R Sukumaran, a farmer of Orathanadu. He pointed out that as water started stagnating in the fields, the harvesting machines could not be operated. Those who have already harvested and are waiting to sell off their paddy to direct procurement centres (DPC) were not spared, too.
Sivakumar a farmer from Tiruvaiyaru taluk, said several farmers have been spreading out their paddy on roads and the bridge across Kudamuruti river in his area as the crop was not being procured by DPCs citing the moisture content norms overshooting the stipulated 17%. "Now as there is fresh spell of rain the moisture content is bound to rise and we cannot sell the paddy", he rued.
P Sukumaran, a farmer from Tirupponthurthi, pointed out that already farmers in places like Keezhathirupponthurthi, Konerirajapuram, and Tiruvaiyaru are unable to sell their kuruvai crop as the moisture content has exceeded 17% from the recent rains. The rains on Saturday and Sunday worsened the situation as they could not dry the paddy, he added.
Sivakumar sought the State government to get the nod of the Centre for relaxation in moisture content norms to at least 20% so that farmers can sell their produce and avert losses. As for Nagapattinam district where around 40% harvesting of kuruvai paddy cultivated over 17,000 hectares has been completed, works such as reaping, threshing, drying and winnowing near farmlands took a hit from the downpour.
The district recorded a total of 69 mm rainfall in the 24-hour period ending Sunday morning. The highest spell was recorded in Vedaranyam at 15.86 mm. As a result, procuring flowers from farmers in Vedaranyam also became difficult. Meanwhile, farmers in Vedaranyam who have commenced Samba cultivation in the non-irrigated, rain-fed areas welcomed the rains. (With inputs from Nagapattinam)