The Hindu : A practical change in Thanjavur cropping pattern

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

A practical change in Thanjavur cropping pattern

By G. Srinivasan

Thanjavur June 20. A change in the cropping pattern is very much visible in Thanjavur district, thanks to a severe drought. Water scarcity has driven farmers, who were used to a monocrop of paddy, to go in for alternatives, which they say, are more remunerative and more "practically possible crops to raise with less water".

In the normal circumstances, Varahur in the Tiruvaiyaru agriculture division is a potential kuruvai area. But the entire belt has now changed to onion, maize, sunflower and gingili. This is the first time many farmers there have raised onion. They are now harvesting the 60-day crop.

Doraisamy, who has raised it on 33 cents (one-third of an acre), has harvested 28 bags of 50 kg each. "Had we received one spell of rain, the yield would have been more than 40 bags. Anyhow my yield is reasonable. I have spent Rs. 9,000. I will get Rs. 15,120 on selling the onion at Rs. 540 a bag. I have made a substantial gain in 60 days."

But the price keeps fluctuating every four hours. Hence the farmers getting more profit depends upon luck.

Lakshmanan and three other farmers have jointly raised, for the first time, onion on one acre in the same village. Harvest is on. "Our experience will help us improve cultivation next year," they said. Sethu Subramanyan, another farmer, was preparing six acres of land to sow maize. Yet another agriculturist raised sunflower on eight acres in the village.

A survey in the Tiruvaiyaru and Thirukattupalli areas shows that many have raised a second crop of gingili after harvesting the first one. These farmers are determined to go in for alternative crops, which, they say are remunerative. "Paddy may become a thing of the past in these areas," say many farmers.

Again in the Varahur area, pulses have grown well. Blackgram is in good condition these summer months.

According to Jeyachandran, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Tiruvaiyaru division, farmers raised onion on 120 hectares in the area and are successfully harvesting the crop. They market the yield in nearby Tiruchi. Farmers, who raised sunflower, take their crop to Thirumanur and other nearby places.

R. Navaneetha Krishnan, Joint Director, said alternative cropping was fast catching up in Thanjavur district and farmers made up their mind to change. This augured well for them from the point of view of economics and efficient use of water.

In the district, gingili was raised on 4,200 hectares, maize on 320 hectares, pulses on 2,840 hectares, groundnut on 750 hectares, onion on 120 hectares and vegetables on 63 hectares.

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