MADURAI/RAMANATHAPURAM: While the farmers who are involved in the first crop season are struggling due to pest attacks caused by climate change, those in the second crop season are getting actively involved in sowing works, as Madurai has been witnessing copious rainfall lately.
Similarly, in Ramanathapuram, agricultural activities have started to gather momentum as the district has been receiving sporadic rainfall for the last few consecutive days. With the presence of a majority of rainfed areas, farmers of both districts have begun Samba paddy cultivation season works.
Despite facing failure during the previous year season due to floods in Ramanathapuram, and first crop getting adversely hit by pest attack in Madurai, a large number of farmers continue to show interest towards paddy cultivation in both the districts, sources said.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior agriculture department official from Madurai said that several farmers, similar to last year, have started Samba cultivation works across the district. Further, over 40,000 hectares of farmland are being used for Samba paddy cultivation in Madurai, like the previous year, the official said.
According to official sources from Ramanathapuram, the target has been set at 1.28 lakh hectares (which is less than that of the previous year cultivation area of 1.35 lakh hectares) in the district. Once the monsoon picks up pace, the coverage is likely to go up to 1.3 to 1.4 lakh hectares this year. So far, sowing works have begun in 37,000 hectares, and farmers of other regions will begin works in coming weeks, an official said.
Meanwhile, MSK Bakkiyanathan, a farmer leader from Kadaladi, told TNIE that all tanks, along with its canals, have to be maintained properly on a war footing ahead of the monsoon. "Last year, better storage in tanks aided farmers to carry out cultivation works in both seasons in a year, in some blocks in Ramanathapuram. This year, if all the tanks across the district are properly maintained, then the stored water can be used for irrigation needs," he added.