Farmers of Puthiyamputhur have sought the intervention of the Collector to ensure sufficient supply of water from Kombai odai. They told the Collector, M. Ravikumar, who was on a visit to Puthiyamputhur on Thursday, that his intervention would be beneficial to farmers of 20 villages, who were dependent on Malarkulam. Supply to Malarkulam from Kombai odai had been disrupted as water got diverted at Pudupacheri tank to reach the sea.
Mr. Ravikumar gave an assurance that a meeting involving PWD and Water Resource Organisation officials would be convened to provide water supply as demanded by the villagers. A few farmers alleged that they faced difficulties in getting crop loans from the Puthiyamputhur cooperative credit society.
The Collector instructed the credit society official to extend crop loans as required by farmers
The farmers assured the Collector that they would continue to supply vegetables to the government-owned farm fresh vegetable outlet. M. Velraj, a farmer, sought one more farm fresh vegetable outlet either at Teachers’ colony or Millerpuram in Tuticorin. The Collector said there was overwhelming response for the vegetable outlet near Tuticorin new bus stand and efforts would be made to establish one more outlet.
With a good rainfall of 763.35 mm, crop yield in the district would improve over that of last year, the Collector said. This year, paddy had been cultivated in an area of 17,000 hectares, millets in 48,464 hectares, pulses in 76,728 hectares, oilseeds in 4,186 hectares, cotton in 6,671 hectares, chillies in 11,414 hectares, vegetables in 3,116 hectares and banana in 8,890 hectares.
Paddy yield touched 4,800 kg per hectare and millets 4000 kg per hectare. As for pulses, the yield touched 1000 kg per hectare on an average. Joint Director of Agriculture, N.K. Dhakshinamorthy and Deputy Registrar of Cooperatives Sivakami accompanied the Collector.
