Crop damage to be assessed in Tiruchi

Factoring in recurring instances of crop lodging and water-logging during the monsoon, the State government has asked the revenue and agricultural departments to enumerate the damaged crop in the district.

According to official sources, a total of 1,13,000 acres has been brought under paddy cultivation during the samba season. The area coverage is 9,000 acres more than the last season. Besides delta areas such as Musiri, Thottiam, Pullambadi, Lalgudi, Andhanallur and Manikandam, the crop has been raised in several rainfed areas too.

The standing crop has reached an advanced stage of harvest. In normal circumstances, harvest should have already begun in some parts of the district. It gradually picks up momentum by the end of the month and early February, according to officials.

Until the last week of December and early January, the conditions looked ideal for a bumper harvest. But the ongoing torrential rain, which is unusual in January, has dampened the spirits of farmers. The district has received intermittent rain for the last one week, but has proved to be counterproductive to farmers looking forward to a bumper harvest.

While water-logging has been reported in several areas, crop lodging has been noticed in hundreds of acres. Areas brought under paddy cultivation in the first phase have borne the brunt of the unseasonal rainfall. The paddy crop raised in hundreds of acres in Inampuliyur, Pothavur, Posampatti, Perugamani, Sirugamani, Pettavaithalai, Pulivalam Kodiyalam and other areas have been affected.

“It is painful to see the well-grown paddy crop lodged on the field due to continuous rain at an unwanted juncture. We are highly disappointed and farmers have taken it to the notice of officials and demanded suitable compensation,” says Ayilai Sivasurian, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam.

Confirming the reports of crop lodging in several areas, a senior official of the Agriculture Department says the State government has sought a report on crop damage. Based on it, field officials of agriculture and revenue departments have begun enumeration of damage to the standing crop.

According to a preliminary report, more than 1,000 hectares of paddy crop raised in Andhanallur, Manikandam and Manapparai blocks have been damaged. Since more rainy days have been predicted, the affected areas may go up. A clear picture will emerge in a week, the official adds.