The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Rain chills farmers' hopes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 18, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rain chills farmers' hopes

Staff Reporter

Chilli was raised on 25,000 hectares this year

RAMANATHAPURAM: The rain that lashed the district for more than a week last week has devastated chilli fields across the district.

Chilli is the largest cultivated crop in the district, next to paddy. It is considered the second producer of chilli after Turicorn. Ramnad `Gundu milagai' is also famous for its quality.

Farmers started chilli cultivation going by good water availability in December and January. The crop was raised on around 25,000 hectares this year, as against the normal area of 20,000 hectares. The yield was good. Most of the farmers completed the first phase of chilli plucking. The farmers were busy harvesting chilli. But the heavy rain in the first week of April has dashed their hopes.

Generally, the crop is considered drought-prone. It requires good moisture in soil with one or two spells of showers before harvest. The crop cannot survive for more than three days if water accumulates around its roots.

But, the district received more than one fourth of the annual average rainfall. As a result, chilli crops in Ramanathapuram, Paramakudi, Muthukulathur, R.S. Mangalam and Thiruvadanai have been hit severely.

"I have spent Rs. 40,00 to cultivate chilli in half an acre. Prior to the rain, we could have earned as much as Rs. 15,000. But, so far, I was able to get only Rs. 600 for the 40-kg yield that was harvested before the rain. Most of the yield harvested after the wet spell turned rotten. I will not get more than Rs. 5 a kg for this inferior quality, says S. Marimuthu of Puthenthal near Ramanathapuram.

An Agricultural department official acknowledged that unexpected rain spelt huge losses for farmers. The affected farmers are now planning to send memorandums to the State Government, seeking compensation for their damaged crop.

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