Drought-like situation hits nearly one lakh farmers

A report on drought-like situation in Tirupur district by Department of Agriculture, which was accessed by The Hindu , has stated that 92,327 farmers were affected during the current financial year.

On the cropping area, the drought-like situation had taken a toll on 75,879 hectares brought under cultivation of various crops over kharif and rabi seasons during this fiscal till December 31.

It should be noted that the average rainfall of 365.29 mm received in the district in 2012 calendar year was the lowest among all the districts in the state.

Of the 92,327 farmers hit, 71,507 people had lost more than 50 per cent of their raised crops because of lack of availability of adequate water for irrigation.

The most affected were small and marginal farmers.

Power crisis

The power crisis compounded the woes of the farmers as they could not even lift whatever the underground and other water resources available for irrigation on a consistent basis.

Crop-wise, the area under fodder cholam (28,213 hectare) was the worst hit in the district followed by maize (16,773 hectare) and pulses (13,331 hectare).

Even the area coverage during the current fiscal had been very low vis-à-vis the targets as many people did not even went for sowing because of the poor rainfall.

“Unsown area till December 31, when compared to the corresponding period in the previous fiscal, has been 24,027 hectare,” a senior agriculture department official told The Hindu .