Maize cultivation has been hit due to excess rain in parts of the district, bringing huge loss to the farmers. A number of maize cultivators have been salvaging the harvested produce, making use of the sunshine.
Every thrashing floor in the tiny and interior villages in the district and also the nearest Highway on the Perambalur – Ariyalur segment are being fully utilised for drying the produce. Farmers say the yield has come down drastically this season because of the showers shortly after the onset of the monsoon.
Rani, one of the farmers of Palla Krishnapuram, about nine km from Ariyalur, says that she had invested a sum of Rs. 20,000 for raising the crop on one acre of land. Against the usual 20 bags each of 100 kg, she could just harvest five bags. A huge volume of the harvested produce can be seen being dried on the Perambalur - Ariyalur highway. The produce had been purchased by the Agricultural Marketing Committee. Official sources, however, said that the crop was safe in a major part of the district. About 19,000 hectares had been brought under cultivation in September which would be harvested by early February. Though the crop had been affected in a few villages, the yield was expected to be around 4 tonnes per hectare.
