Widespread rains in Tamil Nadu

After a few years of deficient monsoons and last year’s drought, the recent rains in Tamil Nadu have given rural areas a much-needed boost.

In the Cauvery Delta areas, land preparation is on for the long-term Samba season, even though it is a late start. With most of the previous short-term summer crop, Kuruvai curtailed, the current long-term crop will give farmers a much-needed lift.

S Ranganathan, General Secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, mentioned that direct sowing was put to hold in Tiruvarur district, and paddy crop is ready to set well with the monsoons.

Typically during the Samba season, about 14.93-lakh acres of paddy is cultivated. In September about 533 mm rain was received against a normal 480 mm. The State government had to open the Mettur dam on October 2 for irrigation when the water level had reached about 88 ft.