NAGAPATTINAM: Around 15,000 hectares of samba and thaladi paddy cultivation in the coastal delta districts have been inundated in the incessant rain lashing the region since Tuesday.
The crop, however, is past 60 days of growth and hence could survive damage if the rainwater recedes from the fields soon, agriculture officials in the state and Puducherry said. According to the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, over 7,500 of the 61,000 hectares of samba and thaladi paddy cultivated in Nagapattinam are under rainwater.
Of this, over 3,000 hectares is in the rain-fed Vedaranyam block while another 3,000 hectares is in the Thalaignayiru block.
An agriculture official said, "The inundation does not necessarily amount to damage or losses. That could take a couple more days of continuous heavy rain." D Olichandran, a farmer from Vaimedu in Vedaranyam block, said,
"Our block thrives on rain-fed cultivation. Hence we needed some amount of rain. We, however, have received it in excess. We hope the water will drain into the sea through the drain channels." Nagapattinam Collector P Akash and Director of Director of Children Welfare and Special Services Johny Tom Varghese inspected some of the inundated areas.
In Mayiladuthurai, around 3,000 of the 60,000 hectares of paddy cultivation, particularly in Sembanarkoil and Kollidam blocks, have suffered inundation, officials said. While officials said most of the cultivation is in reproductive stages (around 60 days) such as flowering and panicle initiation, they added the crop is in vegetation stages (around 30 days) such as stem elongation in some areas.
R Vaithiyanathan, a farmer representative from Kollidam in Mayiladuthurai district, said, "We took up cultivation only six weeks ago as we received River Kollidam water late. Our fields are under stagnant water. It could be worse." In Karaikal, around 4,500 hectares of cultivation have been reported to be inundated.
Agriculture officials, however, ruled out damage in large areas. TKSM Kanagasundaram, a farmer from Neravy commune in Karaikal, said, “A portion of the cultivation is still a month old as we are pursuing thaladi after taking up kuruvai cultivation. We are hoping the rains will reduce."