Dindigul farmers keen on cultivating paddy

Thanks to comfortable storage in rural tanks, wells and dams

Area under paddy cultivation in the district will expand sizably this season as many farmers have shifted to paddy owing to comfortable storage in rural tanks, wells and dams.

Even those who had not undertaken farm activity in the last three years started raising paddy this season. Cultivation is in full swing in Palani block with water release in the left main canal of Palar Porundhalar dam. Transplanting is being done in large scale in Athoor, Iyyampalayam and many villages in Nilakottai block owing to water release from Vaigai dam.

The farmers in Chellakuttiyur in Vedasandur block left the lands barren due to monsoon failure in the last three years.

Now, they started raising paddy nurseries. Sattaparai near Chatrapatti block, which was water-logged in flash floods, became an ideal place to raise paddy, according to agriculture officials.

“We expect sowing and transplantation to extend up to January this season as intermittent showers till November-end have encouraged farmers to take up farm activities,” says Deputy Director of Agriculture M. Thangasamy.

Supply of machinery and other farm equipment at subsidised rates and sufficient stock of fertilizers, coupled with effective propagation of System of Rice Intensification programme, lured several farmers towards paddy. Many farmers in Palani block have abandoned maize, a dry crop, and shifted to paddy.

As Parappalar dam has water at 80.93 feet (total height 90 feet),

Oddanchatram farmers appealed to PWD officials to release water to recharge tanks in this dry belt and to raise single crop. Water release from the dam will help farmers in Cauvery Ammapatti and Thangachi Ammapatti to raise paddy.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/dindigul-farmers-keen-on-cultivating-paddy/article6663889.ece