Timely arrival of monsoon boon for samba: Ryots

Since water was released from Mettur dam on its customary date of June 12, the kuruvai was cultivated in more than targeted areas during the present season. According to the officials, the kuruvai was undertaken in an area of 55,000 ha in Thanjavur while in Nagapattinam 45,736 ha and in Tiruvarur 38,765 ha and the yield was good owing to the water availability and the harvest is almost completed except for a few places. 

The continuous rainfall ahead of the NE monsoon season, has hindered the harvest in such places and the farmers have been struggling to protest the harvested paddy from rain damage. 

On the other hand, the farmers who commenced the samba cultivation have expressed happiness for the timely rainfall and said that it was more supportive for the farmers who have started planting the saplings. Official sources said that a target of both samba and thalady has been fixed at 3.33 lakh acres in Thanjavur while 3.64 lakh acres in Tiruvarur, 1.62 lakh acres in Nagapattinam and 1.60 lakh acres in Mayiladuthurai and the cultivation is underway. 

The farmers claimed that at the initial times, they needed such water availability and the continuous rainfall has become a boon to the farmers undertaking samba cultivation. 

“The rains are good and useful for us farmers who have gone in for samba cultivation using the direct sowing method. The cultivation would be better with rains at this point of time. For many of us who have raised nurseries that would be transplanted later on, the tender crops will get a boost,” said Cauvery Farmers Protection Association Secretary Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan. 

He said that the rainfall would be nutritious to the tender crops and the soil would also be recharged and we need to use comparatively less fertiliser with nature’s blessing, he said. 

This apart, the continuous rainfall would recharge the ground water table which would be useful at this time of cultivation as several farmers are dependent on borewells too. He expressed hope that the target would easily be achieved this season too.