With rain gracing the area in the evenings, direct sowing has caught up well among farmers of Thanjavur district. Against a target of 20,000 acres to be covered under direct sowing for this samba season, 8,163 acres have been covered so far in the district.
Farmers of Pallieri village near Thanjavur have gone for direct sowing this year. They have been doing traditional transplanting in the previous years. This year due to water shortage they have decided to go for direct sowing. All the farmers in the village have gone for direct sowing on 103 acres of land in the village. Much to the convenience of farmers, the area has experienced copious rains in the evenings. In some places, water has got stagnated and farmers were seen draining water from the fields. Canal water has also reached Thanjavur district after Mettur dam was opened on September 17 and Grand Anicut on September 21.
Under direct sowing, seeds are sown and allowed to grow with the help of rain water.
Farmers of Pallieri village have sown BPT 5204 variety of paddy. It is expected to mature in four months time.
M.Z.Mohammed Yahiya, Joint Director of Agriculture, and K.Nedunchezhiyan, Assistant Director of Agriculture, said that target of 20,000 acres can be achieved. In Thanjavur block, target is 2,250 acres and so far direct sowing has been done on 1,397 acres. Farmers are given subsidy for ploughing at the rate of Rs.480 per acre. Weedicide is given at 50 per cent subsidy.
