Gingelly cultivation has been in full swing in Uppliyapuram block during the past two weeks and farmers are busy drying the crop on rural roads in the block.
Uppliyapuram and Thuraiyur are major blocks where the crop is raised using assured irrigation facility. About 100 hectares was brought under the crop this season. According to Agriculture Department sources, farmers raise gingelly as a crop rotation in groundnut fields.
“The crop registers a good harvest where the irrigation is assured using wells. The area is scattered all over the blocks indicating the soil condition in these two blocks is suitable for the crop,” says the official. The average yield is expected to be around 500 kg per hectare.
The crop is being raised in different seasons. While it is cultivated during the Tamil month of ‘Karthigai’ in Uppliyapuram and Thuraiyur blocks, the crop is raised in Lalgudi block during April. Farmers raised ‘TMV 3’ and ‘TMV 4’ variety which are black and brown in colour with a duration of 110 days. The white gingelly is not grown in the district.