Farmers in most parts of the non-delta areas of the district are keeping their fingers crossed over the prospect of the samba paddy crop because of the scanty rainfall so far this year.
Tiruchi district has recorded below normal rainfall under the northeast monsoon (October-December) so far this year, registering 37 per cent deficiency. Between October 1 and December 10, the district has received only 224.2 mm of rainfall against the normal 354.5 mm for the period, according to figures available at the website of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai.
Samba paddy cultivation was taken up in full swing in the canal-irrigated delta areas of the district after the release of water from Mettur reservoir, but farmers in the non-delta (rain-fed) areas could not do so for want of rain.
There has not been adequate storage to sustain cultivation in a majority of the 98 rain-fed tanks under the Ariyar division of the Public Works Department in the district. According to sources in the department, 90 tanks had storage of less than 25 per cent of their capacities. Four tanks have 25 to 50 per cent storage and another four have 50 to 75 per cent storage, the sources added.
Official sources said the rain, though widespread, has not been intensive enough and there has not been much inflow into the tanks.
The Agriculture Department had targeted to cover about 62,000 acres of land under samba paddy in the non-delta areas of the district this year. However, only 24,000 acres of land have been covered. Farmers who had raised the crop depending on well irrigation are looking for some rain at least towards the end of the northeast monsoon to see them through the season.
Farmers say the rain received so far had been too scattered and inadequate. “Farmers in Uppilliyapuram, Marungapuri, Manapparai, Vaiyampatti, and Thuraiyur areas could not take up paddy cultivation in the absence of rain. Most tanks are dry and the government should take steps to declare these areas as drought hit,” said Ayilai Sivasuriyan, district secretary of the CPI-affiliated Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam.