Samba cultivation has begun in full swing in Erode district. Farmers have completed the transplantation of paddy seedlings in about 1,000 hectares so far.

Samba is expected to be raised on about 40,000 hectares in the district this year. Of which, the department has planned to bring in at least 17,000 hectares under the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of cultivation, officials in the agriculture department said.

Usually paddy was raised on about 45,000 hectares in Erode district. The department, however, expects a marginal fall of about 5,000 hectares in paddy cultivation this year, as many farmers have switched to turmeric crop. As the prices of the yellow spice remain high, the acreage under turmeric crop had almost doubled this year to touch 10,000 hectares.

Officials said that farmers in several parts of the district had begun the preparatory work and in some places nurseries had already been raised. The transplantation was going on in a few parts which were coming under the Kalingarayan ayacut.

A majority of the farmers in the district were expected to complete the transplantation exercise by the end of September. However, those in the tail end areas of Lower Bhavani Project canal would be completing the work only by the second or third week of October. The department had made arrangements to ensure adequate supply of farm inputs including fertilisers and seeds to the farmers, officials added.

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