Farmers, who relied on north-east monsoon for cultivation of paddy in rain-fed areas in the district, have suffered huge loss for the third successive year this year as more than 90% of crops, cultivated on 1.22 lakh hectares withered following failure of the monsoon.
After the monsoon had set in on a promising note, farmers had cultivated paddy with great hope only to be let down by the rain god for yet another year. The crops were 80 to 90 days old and reached the milking and yielding stage when they withered for want of water, officials said.
“More than 90% of the crops had already withered as farmers are fighting to save crops in Thirupullani and Bogalur blocks and a couple of villages in Mudukulathur with the help of wells and bore wells,” officials said.
Farmers who had raised the crops after obtaining farm and jewel loans, had applied basal dose fertilisers, first doze of top dressing of fertilisers, weedicides and looked delighted when the crops reached the flowering stage only to be disappointed. When the crops reached the milking and yielding stage, they witnessed sudden change in the weather condition.
As the mornings were laden with dew and there was no sign of rains, they had no option but to let the cattle to feed on the withering crops. “We were hoping for a bumper crop this year but the monsoon let us down,” rued ‘Solandur’ Balakrishnan, a progressive farmer.
Farmers had suffered 100% crop loss in the year 2016-17 and 2017-18 and this was the third set back in a row, officials said. The only silver lining was that about 1.50 lakh farmers had insured their crops in 1.17 lakh hectares, they said. The farmers had secured total crop insurance of Rs 530 crore for loss of crops in the year 2016-17 and hoping to get the insurance for the year 2017-18 during the Pongal festival.
Farmers who grew chilli crops in 14,000 hectares hoped to save the crops. The 70 to 90 days old crops have reached the fruiting stage and the morning dews helped the crops. “A bumper crop (chillies) is assured if there is couple of showers in the coming days,” officials said.
