Tamil Nadu: Poor yield of samba, kuruvai crops in 2023 had led to less procurement

TIRUCHY: Due to water shortage and various other factors, yield loss was witnessed in both kuruvai and samba crops last year. This resulted in 2.36 lakh tonnes less procurement than the usual quantum through the DPCs across the Delta region.

Though targets set for kuruvai and samba were achieved in the last four years, the unexpected water scarcity in the Delta impacted the agricultural activities this time. It has resulted in poor yield with procurement too affected.

Though water was released on the customary date of June 12 in 2023, the inflow was abysmal as the southwest monsoon failed. All these led to poor yields.

According to official data, the paddy procurement during kuruvai season in 2022 was 2.20 lakh tonnes but it was reduced to 1.39 lakh tonnes in 2023 due to water shortage.

Similarly, samba procurement was just 3.67 lakh tonnes. Thus, both kuruvai and samba procurement was 5.06 lakh tonnes against the usual 7.42 lakh tonnes. Officials said that the yield was poor during 2023 and they could get only 1,645 kg of paddy per acre against the usual 2,400 kg.

“Due to shortage of water, we suffered up to 40 per cent less yield. Since private players paid more than the DPCs, many farmers opted to sell their paddy to them and this is also one of the reasons for the decline in procurement quantum,” said a progressive farmer Pulavankadu V Mariappan.

Mariappan further said that the fine rice varieties, like Andhra Ponni, had a high demand among traders, who came to the field and procured them with prompt payment of money in contrast to farmers shelling out Rs 40 per bag at the government-run DPCs.

“Instead of paying bribes to DPC staff and waiting for the money disbursal, many farmers went to private parties. But still, the less procurement had resulted in the shortage of foodgrains,” he said.