The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Samba plantation in full swing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 04, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Samba plantation in full swing

By Our Staff Reporter

THANJAVUR, OCT. 3. Samba plantation is in full swing in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, thanks to continuous rain in the last 10 days.

Water supply in Cauvery, Vennar and Grand Anicut canal river systems was suspended for the third day today following good rain in several parts.

This evening, the level in the Mettur reservoir stood at 85.91 feet (full level 120 feet) with an inflow of 7,715 cusecs and a discharge of 2,997 cusecs. The storage was 48.10 tmcft against the reservoir's full capacity of 93.4 tmcft.

From Grand Anicut, Vennar and Grand Anicut canal are getting only 743 cusecs and 100 cusecs and the supply in Cauvery and Coleroon had been stopped.

Several parts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts experienced moderate rains today. Needamangalam and Thanjavur recorded the highest rainfall of 30 mm each.

Rainfall in other stations (in mm): Papanasam, Nagapattinam, Thirupoondi and Korayar 20 and Mayiladuturai, Valangaiman, Sirkazhi, Peravuruni and Valangaiman below 20.

An Agriculture department official told The Hindu today that samba paddy would be cultivated on about 3.5 lakh hectares in the three districts this year. The department was having adequate stock of medium-duration seeds to meet the requirement of farmers.

Farmers who harvested kuruvai paddy crop in the three districts were finding it difficult to sell their produce to direct purchase centres of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, as they were located in far-off places.

Ryots seek incentives

They urged the Government to give a production incentive of Rs.60 per quintal and wanted it to accept paddy with more than 17 per cent moisture content.

K.G.Krishnamoorthy, vice-president, Thanjavur district farmers association, has urged the Government to open more DPCs in the delta districts to purchase kuruvai paddy. He also wanted speedy sanction of crop loans to start samba cultivation.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu