The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : With record rain Ramnad reaps good harvest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 27, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

With record rain Ramnad reaps good harvest

By C. Jaishankar

RAMANATHAPURAM, JAN. 26 . After four years, farmers of this district have recorded a good harvest, thanks to a good monsoon.

About 1.24 lakh hectares was brought under paddy in 2004, up from the target of 1.20 hectares. Farmers did not leave even an acre fallow, profiting from the rain in the third week of September.

Against the normal precipitation of 827 mm, the district received 1,174 mm, the highest in the past 25 years. Almost all tanks got full; water was also released from the Vaigai dam.

Harvest has been completed in 65 per cent of the total area. Farmers, especially in Thiruvadanai, R.S. Mangalam and Muthukulathur, have reaped a good harvest.

The agriculture officer, S. Shaiek Abdullah, said the average yield was 3.5 tonnes a hectare, exceeding the normal output of 2.5 tonnes. Thiruvadanai and some other areas registered a maximum of six tonnes, while in some other areas it was just one tonne.

`Timely rain'

Except in Chithoor and Vannivayal, where rainwater inundated fields, harvest was near-total in all areas. "It is indeed, a good harvest in recent years. It is because of the timely rain," he said.

The Collector, K. Sellamuthu, said direct purchase centres were opened in all taluk headquarters. Civil Supplies Corporation officials were asked to visit all areas to study the need for opening more DPCs.

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