The endeavour of farmers, despite the drought-prone condition, is widely seen in parts of the district where, with an optimistic attitude, they have resorted to conventional farm practices.
Sirugambur, for instance, which produces a variety of farm produce, has been moderately brisk in terms of farm activities. Here, farmers adopt a turn system to use a common well to irrigate their fields. However, with the serious depletion in ground water table, these bore wells have failed.
Yet, scores of farmers, particularly ‘Pongal’ cane growers, have resumed their operation in the recent month. One of the farmers, S. Pitchaimuthu of Senthamaraikan, says that this was the right time to raise the crop so that it would be ready for harvest by January next year. He had spent ₹ 1.20 lakh for drilling a new well for irrigating the fields. “The crop should be irrigated at least once in four days. We are confident that the new well will meet the demand till the monsoon sets in,” he says.
Although experts have been advising shift in cropping pattern, it has not caused any impact on these farmers who want to raise conventional crops with which they have been quite comfortable.
The farmer said he did not want to burn his finger by raising a crop in which he was not so familiar. “Pest attack, weed clearing, disease control are various major aspects which varies from crop to crop and field to field,” he asserts.
