The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Farmers prepare land for paddy cultivation

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Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Farmers prepare land for paddy cultivation

Staff Reporter

‘BPT-5204’ seeds, much sought after ‘samba’ variety stocked

Waiting at the end: Anticipating waters to reach his fields following the discharge of water from the Mettur Dam, a farmer prepares his fields at Nakudi near Aranthangi on Monday.

PUDUKOTTAI: Pinning hopes on the realisation of water in a fortnight – following its discharge from the Grand Anicut – farmers of Mettur Canal Programme (MCP) area in the district have taken up preparatory measures for their single paddy crop for the forthcoming ‘samba’ season.’

Preliminary work

A number of farmers in parts of Karambakudi, Avudaiyarkovil, Aranthanagi and Gandarvakottai blocks have taken up all preliminary works by ploughing the fields and accumulating the bio-manure to raise the ‘samba’ crop.

Agriculture Department has stocked 200 tonnes ‘BPT-5204’ seeds - the much sought after ‘samba’ variety to meet the demand among the farmers.

Shortfall in ‘kuruvai’

In the non-Mettur Canal Programme blocks spread over Pudukottai, Karambakudi, Gandarvakottai, Ponnamaravathy, Keeranur and Tiruvarankulam blocks, there has been a shortfall in the ‘kuruvai’ crop due to non-availability of waters.

Against the normal 3,000 hectares, only 2,400 hectares had been covered under ‘kuruvai’ this season, according to the Joint Director of Agriculture (in-charge)V. Krishnasamy.

Paucity of water for irrigation had forced the paddy-farmers to shift to pulses this season.

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