RAMANATHAPURAM: Despite the prolonged irrigation woes affecting over 60% of paddy cultivation in Ramanathapuram, over 50% of the harvest process has been completed, providing hope for farmers in the district who now look forward to cultivating cotton as the second crop in the upcoming season.
Being one of the largest paddy cultivation in the state, about 1.3 lakh hectares were used for Samba paddy cultivation in Ramanathapuram. Though the season started on a high note, over 84,000 hectares of agricultural land were damaged due to the lack of irrigation.
Agriculture department officials stated that more than 50% of the harvest has been completed in the areas which saw a prominent yield. Besides the affected areas, farmers with lands that received proper irrigation witnessed a yield of 40 bags per acre on average.
Civil supplies department officials added that though nearly 100 Direct Procurement Centers were proposed ahead of the Samba season, owing to the crop damage which occurred later in the season about 70 DPCs were approved for procuring Samba paddy in Ramanathapuram. At present, about 25 DPCs have been opened and another 25 DPCs are set to be opened in the upcoming weeks.
A senior official from the Agriculture department stated that with the season nearing the end, farmers from these areas with good irrigation have started preparing for the second season of the year. "Cotton and pulses are the major options for farmers for the next cultivation season. While the usual amount of land allotted for cotton cultivation is around 8,500 hectares, this year it is likely to increase above 10,000 hectares in the district.
Gavasker, an activist and farmer from the Thiruvadanai area, said that the TN government is delaying the distribution of compensation for the farmers' crop damages in Ramanathapuram. Since the farmers are already facing financial loss owing to the failed season, farmers are unable to carry out the preparatory work for the next season.