A month after release of water from the Bhavanisagar Dam into Kalingarayan Canal, farmers have begun preparing their paddy field and transferring of paddy nurseries to field in the ayacut areas.
Water was released into the canal on July 21 to irrigate 15,743 acres of farmlands spread across Erode, Modakkurichi and Kodumudi taluks. While turmeric is cultivated in over 50% of the ayacut areas, paddy, sugarcane and banana are grown in the remaining areas. The canal passes through Vairapalayam and Karungalpalayam in the city, where farmers prepared the land for cultivating paddy. Paddy nursery was raised in a small field and hundreds of workers were involved in transplanting seedlings to the main field. Farmers said that water needs to stagnate in paddy fields and were hopeful that adequate rain and water storage in the dam would ensure continuous water supply to them.
The farmers in Modakkurichi and Kodumudi taluks, who have taken up cultivation of turmeric and banana crops, expect better productivity this season. “The price of turmeric was disappointing in the past few years as it was sold at ₹ 6,500 to ₹ 7,000 a quintal”, said a member of the Kalingarayan Pasana Sabai.
