THANJAVUR/NAGAPATTINAM: Erratic rain, a dip in water released from Mettur led to a 21,000-hectare fall in samba and thaladi cultivation in delta districts. Coverage decreased to 4 lakh hectare in 2023 from 4.21 lakh hectare in 2022. Farmers began 2023 with hope as high as the water level in Mettur reservoir but ended on a bitter note as water release was stopped on October 10 owing to drop in storage.
Kuruvai coverage which stood at 72,816 hectares in Thanjavur in 2022 increased to 78,486 hectares in 2023, and in Tiruvarur, coverage increased from 61,588 hectares to 70,093 hectares. However, Karnataka’s failure to release Cauvery water affected yield. “While the average kuruvai yield in 2022 was around 6,000 kg per hectare, it fell to 5,500 kg per hectare in 2023”, an agriculture and farmers welfare department official said. As inflow into Mettur reservoir dwindled, the water release for delta irrigation was stopped on October 10, three-and-a-half months ahead of the customary dam closure date of January 28.
Lack of sufficient inflow into Mettur affected farmers who usually cultivate samba crops in delta districts. In Thanjavur, samba paddy coverage decreased by 19,000 hectares compared to previous year. Similarly, in Tiruvarur it fell by 11,500 hectares.
Sami Natarajan from Thanjavur said a significant number of farmers did not take up samba cultivation due to non-availability of Cauvery water. In Nagapattinam, out of 25,600 hectares cultivated for kuruvai, crops on about 12,500 hectares wilted owing to lack of water. Around 61,000 hectares of samba and thaladi are currently under cultivation in Nagapattinam district. In Mayiladuthurai district, in areas where groundwater was available, farmers cultivated kuruvai crops in late April and early May without waiting for Cauvery water.