Rains raise farmers’ hopes of rich samba harvest, like kuruvai

While the Cauvery Delta witnessed bumper harvest in kuruvai this year, the samba harvest is also expected in the same vein. According to official sources, in Thanjavur, a target of kuruvai was fixed at 43,250 ha but it was increased due to water availability and the harvest was made at 58,948 ha this year, while the thaladi was harvested at 50,000 ha against the usual 30,000 ha and so the samba target was fixed at 85,000 ha this year.

So far planting of saplings has been covered over an area of 58,000 ha while in thaladi, 20,000 ha has been covered. The remaining area would be covered in due course of time and the officials predict the target would be achieved as expected in the district.

Meanwhile, in Tiruvarur, samba cultivation is targeted at 1.10 ha this year while Thaladi has been fixed at 38,000 ha. So far 1.09 ha samba cultivation has been completed in the district while 24,000 ha thaladi has been covered so far and the remaining area would be covered very soon as the Northeast monsoon is expected to fulfil the water needs in the region.

Similarly in Nagapattinam samba cultivation is targeted at 95,000 ha and thaladi at 45,000 ha this year. And the district so far covered 70,000 ha samba and 40,000 thaladi.

Though the Northeast monsoon has commenced in the district, the Delta has received moderate rainfall and farmers who have commenced the cultivation in full swing have expressed hope that they would receive adequate rainfall during this monsoon according to the prediction of the meteorological department.

The officials from the agriculture department in the region confirmed that the samba and thaladi cultivation have commenced in full swing and the monsoon would help them to achieve the target in 10 days.

Paddy fields in tailend parts have gone dry after water failed to reach these places and the crops have started to wither in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Thanjavur and the rainfall that started moderately has instilled hope among the farmers of the region so that it would help them save their crops from drying away. The farmers from Mela Thirupoonthuruthi, Vellamperambur, Thiruvalampozhil and Umayaval Arcot near Tiruvaiyaru who have been protesting for water as it failed to reach their region through the Konakadungalaaru, a branch river from the Cauvery that used to flow along Tiruvaiyaru and the 50-day old crops have started to wither away. However, the moderate rainfall in the past couple of days has created an optimistic mood among the farmers that they may receive proper rainfall during this monsoon.