Harvest of samba paddy has begun in canal irrigated areas of the district with farmers in some parts of the district worried over possible yield loss because of blast disease.
Samba paddy had been raised on about 85,000 acres of land in the canal irrigated delta areas of the district and in another 25,000 acres in the non-delta areas of the district, Agriculture Department sources said.
Of this, farmers in the delta areas had started harvesting the crop over the past few days.
According to initial reports, the yield appeared to be normal, sources in the Agriculture Department said.
Harvesting of the samba crop was expected to go on till February with farmers too expecting a decent yield.
“We are expecting a normal yield. However, there will be drop in yield in paddy fields affected by the blast disease,” said N. Veerasekaran, Coordinator, Ayyan Vaical Pasanatharar Sangam.
Incidence of blast disease had been reported from Manikandam, Andhanallur, Musiri, Thottiyam, and Manachanallur and to a certain extent in Lalgudi areas in the district. Farmers are apprehensive of a sharp drop in yield in fields affected by the disease.
“Yield will be badly affected in the disease-hit fields. The government should sanction compensation of Rs. 25,000 an acre to the affected farmers,” said P. Ayyakannu, vice-president, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam, who along with other members of the organisation presented a representation to the District Collector on Thursday.
According to initial estimates, about 8,000 hectares were affected in the district because of the disease. An assessment would be taken up by the Agriculture Department in association with the Revenue and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University scientists, sources in the Agriculture Department said.
Mr.Veerasekaran said that the Agriculture Department should take effective steps to prevent recurrence of the disease in future by recommending appropriate steps to eradicate the fungus from the fields.
