Kuruvai paddy cultivation is under way in the filter point areas of Tiruchi district.
Of the 8,000 acres expected to be covered in the district, transplantation has been completed on about 7,100 acres.
Transplantation in the remaining area is expected to be completed within the end of this month, Agriculture Department officials said.
The normal kuruvai area is 16,000 acres in the district. But given the poor storage in the Mettur reservoir and delay in release of water in the Cauvery, kuruvai paddy could be raised in only the filter point areas in the district.
The Agriculture Department had completed distribution of inputs and implements under the kuruvai special package announced by the government to help farmers take up cultivation with available water. The State government had allocated Rs. 1.47 crore for the district under the package.
The package is implemented in filter point areas in Andhanallur, Musiri, Manachanallur, and Lalgudi areas. Farmers had been given fertilisers such as zinc sulphate and gypsum, micro nutrients, liquid bio-fertilizers, transplanters and weeders at full subsidy.
About 25 tonnes micro nutrients, 50 tonnes of zinc sulphate, 500 tonnes of gypsum, 32,000 packets of bio fertilizers and 2,800 litres of liquid bio fertilizers have been distributed among 3,590 farmers.
This apart, 150 farmers had been given high density polyethylene pipes to help irrigate their fields without wastage of water.
Community nurseries had been raised on 70 acres and so far nurseries from 65 of them had been transplanted on an area of 5,200 acres adopting System of Rice Intensification technique. This had benefitted about 2,700 farmers.
About 20 mechanised transplanters, each at a cost of Rs. 2 lakh, had been supplied to farmers groups. Of this, 14 were in Lalgudi block and two each in the other three blocks where the package is being implemented. These groups would rent out the machines to farmers at nominal rates.
