Changes in weather conditions have hit vegetable production in Kanthallur badly. The main crops in hundreds of hectares have already perished.
Farmers say that continuous rain and fog in the area for over a month resulted in the decay of crops, which were ready for harvest. Though the main harvesting season begins in September, there are three seasons and the second season begins by November.
Large-scale decay
P.T. Mohandas, vegetable farmer and president of the Kanthallur Cool Season Vegetable Marketing Farmers Society, says there has been continuous rain and fog in the area.
This, he says, resulted in the large-scale decay of the crops, mainly carrot and cabbage.
There is considerable change in the weather condition this year and the first crops were affected due to a drought situation.
Second crops, especially in the low-lying areas, were also hit by heavy fog and rainfall.
Kanthallur is in the rain shadow area where vegetables are cultivated in 711 hectares.
He says the crops in the areas Perumala, Vettakarankovil,,Grahanathapuram and Puthoor are the worst hit.
He says tomato cultivation has also been affected as the flowers to bear the fruits have already fallen to the ground.
Climate change
The farmers here completely depend on weather and minor changes will severely affect the vegetable production.
Though potato is the main crop in the first season, almost all the vegetables are cultivated in the second season.
Fruit production
Chandran Valiayaveettil, a fruit farmer at Grahanathapuram, tells The Hindu that the harvesting of oranges has begun in the area.
However, there is considerable drop in the production, especially of the Nagpur variety which is largely grown by the farmers.
He says there is no drop in the production of traditional variety which has virtually no demand in the market due to its small size.
There is also a drop in apple production. He says the drought situation during the flowering season and heavy rain, especially in the beginning of the harvesting season, has affected the production.
