MADURAI: Madurai district has recorded a low spell of rainfall this monsoon season, with official data showing barely 2mm of average across its 23 rain stations in November so far.
The deficit has raised serious concerns among farmers, who fear that they may be unable to complete their cultivation activities.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the district has received only 228.5mm of rainfall between October and November 18, against the normal 275.5mm, marking a 17% deficit. The situation is more severe for November alone as the district recorded just 33.2mm so far, compared to the normal 96.8mm, resulting in a 66% shortfall.
Between October-December 2024, Madurai recorded 535.8mm of rain, significantly exceeding the normal 370mm, recording a 45% surplus. In November 2024, though the district reported a deficit, it stood at a comparatively moderate 46%.
Block-wise rain statistics from the district administration shows that in November 2025, Chittampatti recorded the highest average rainfall in the district with 2.13 mm. At the lower end, Thaniamangalam registered no rainfall, while Kuppanampatti logged just 0.19 mm. The remaining 20 stations also reported extremely poor rainfall, each recording less than 1-2 mm.
According to the agriculture department, rain-fed cultivation has shrunk across key crops. Total Pulses saw the steepest decline, falling by 599 units from 3,884 units in 2024-25 to 3,285 units in 2025-26. Ratoon sugarcane dropped by 234 units, and total oilseeds declined by 114 units. Conversely, rain-fed total cotton expanded by 535 units, and total millet grew by 518 units, reflecting a shift towards more drought-resilient crops.
Farmer leader M P Raman said the stark contrast between last year's surplus and this year's deficit has created deep uncertainty. “Many farmers sowed early, expecting December rains like last year. But the deficit has left fields parched. If we don’t receive adequate spells, thousands of hectares could be at risk,” he warned. Farmers under the Thirumangalam Main canal have already appealed to the Water Resources Department to delay regulated irrigation by a month.
Sharing ground-level realities, Ayyankalai, a farmer from T Kallupatti, said the situation has become untenable. "Seedlings are drying up before they take hold. Re-sowing doubles the cost, and many farmers cannot afford it. One or two good rains can still save the season, but with each passing day, recovery becomes harder," he said.