Heavy rains that lashed different parts of the district on Saturday night have hampered the harvesting of paddy cultivated in the second (additional) crop season.
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Farmers have undertaken paddy farming on 8,765 hectares in the additional season in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. At Polepadam polder under Thakazhi Krishi Bhavan, farmers have been forced to halt harvest midway after the field got inundated in heavy showers. Ryots at Pacha Eravuri polder at Edathua, which is set to go under combine harvesters in the coming days, fear that incessant rains coupled with an increase in the flow of floodwaters from the eastern side would worsen the situation and adversely affect the harvesting of the crop.
The weather agency has declared an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall for Alappuzha on Monday and a yellow alert for isolated heavy rainfall on Tuesday.
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Despite the threat of rain, farmers in the region are forced to keep the harvested paddy in polders or in the open due to a lack of proper storage facilities. Farmers complained that mills have started demanding huge discounts, in some cases up to 10 kg per quintal of paddy, citing high moisture content in the rain-soaked grain.
It is the second time in as many weeks that torrential downpours have affected paddy cultivation in Kuttanad. Two weeks ago, large tracts of paddy fields with standing crops, including those ready for harvest, got submerged in water. After the initial postponement, the harvest of paddy crops began in the region on October 6.
The rain has also hindered preparations for ‘puncha’ (first) crop season in Kuttanad.