MADURAI: As the Kuruvai paddy harvest season gets underway in Madurai, farmers in the Vadipatti block lament that excessive weeds and climate change have greatly affected the yield this year.
While farmers stated that they faced a 30%-40% harvest loss, the agriculture department stated that the average harvest limit was achieved in the block, and only a few farmers faced such issues.
Thousands of acres in Vadipatti, Kallandhiri, and Sholavandhan were used for Kuruvai paddy cultivation in Madurai. Following the release of Vaigai water in July, farmers began cultivation, and the crops have now reached the harvest stage. Despite facing pest and diseases due to climate change, the crops have reached the harvest stage in Madurai. While the majority of farmers had a better yield, some in Vadipatti still faced a drop in harvest.
Speaking about the issues, E Jayaratchagan, a farmer from Vadipatti, said, "Climate change has caused a series of impacts on the crops this season, apart from blast and other pest issues, which were addressed in the initial stages. However, the major impact was caused by weed issues; many new weeds have been seen invading the fields this season. Despite preventative measures, these weeds have grown extensively, affecting the paddy crops. Usually, we get nearly 40 bags per acre (62 kilos per bag), but this year, the harvest has dropped to 17–20 bags per acre."
He added that comprehensive awareness/training programmes must be conducted for farmers on weed and pest control to prevent such issues in the future.
When contacted, a senior Agriculture Department official from Madurai stated that following the constant weather change, some pest attacks were reported in Madurai, but due to awareness programmes and preventative measures, they were kept under control.
Furthermore, the harvest in the Vadipatti area was notably above the average level of 2 tonnes per acre; only a few who did not take proper measures regarding weed issues faced such problems. The Agriculture Department is constantly taking action to raise awareness among farmers about various measures to address such issues.