With rain gods showing mercy and the climate turning conducive, the standing samba and thalady crops in thousands of acres across the delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur are in remarkably good condition. Farmers are hopeful of a good harvest, it the State government resorts to prudent water management principles in the coming days.
No doubt the current samba season started off on a rather unsavoury note for the delta farmers. The delayed opening of Mettur dam as usual, scarce rains in the beginning of the season followed by the crop insurance fiasco unsettled the farmers.
In some areas such as the coastal areas of Nagapattinam district and Tiruthuraipoondi region of Tiruvarur district torrential rains followed by inundation of vast tracts of fields with paddy crop in tender stage stumped them. That forced the farmers in those areas to go in for re-planting in lieu of the directly sown original crop that was devastated. In some areas of Nagapattinam district, farmers claimed that they had to transplant for the third time.
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But the silver lining was that most of the samba and thalady paddy crops survived the initial onslaught to prosper well in the three districts. “I am happy that my samba paddy crops have come good thus far. Of course, there were pest attacks following monsoon rains and I had to redo the direct sowing in a couple of fields after the inundation. But all that is behind me now as the crops are doing good. Like many others in my village, I hope to have a decent harvest,” S. Durairaj of Erukkattoor village in Tiruvarur district says beamingly.
In Thanjavur district, sections of farmers say that the crops are turning out well perhaps the best since 2012. “See the lush paddy crops with the shining leaves that radiate richness. The tillering has been good and many thalady crops have entered the ear head stage. This time we are expecting some good results,’’ observes another farmer T. Selvakumaran of Soorakkottai village in Thanjavur district.
Samba and thalady have been raised on 1.47 lakh hectares in Tiruvarur district while in Nagapattinam district a total of 1.29 lakh hectares have been brought under paddy this season.
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“What we expect from the State Government now is prudent water management practices”, says V. Jeevakumar of Budalur in Thanjavur district. While some areas in the delta might require water to irrigate their samba and thalady paddy till the end of January, most of the delta would require water at least until mid-March. “The State Government should not hesitate to keep the Mettur dam open for the benefit of delta farmers till such time or at least as and when required”, Mr. Jeevakumar insists reflecting the collective will of the delta farmers.