With the Northeast monsoon bringing copious rains, pisanam paddy cultivation has started to pick up in Tuticorin district. Paddy cultivation is expected on 17,500 hectares across the district this year, according to Joint Director of Agriculture V. Jeyakumar.
Paddy crop was raised mainly in Karungulam, Srivaikundam, Alwarthirunagari and Tiruchendur areas. Besides, some areas around Tuticorin were also conducive to paddy crop.
In the wake of monsoon rains, mat nurseries had been raised and machine transplantation was in progress in Alwarthirunagari and Karungulam blocks. Transplanting in Srivaikundam and Tiruchendur blocks would be taken up in a few days, the Joint Director told The Hindu here on Tuesday.
During the previous year, paddy was raised on 16,265 hectares, mainly as a wetland crop.
To cope with increasing farm labour scarcity, the Department of Agriculture was popularising machine transplantation in paddy fields under National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP)-Paddy Mission.
Of the targeted area of 1,900 hectares under machine transplantation, 600 hectares each in Srivaikundam and Alwarthirunagari, 450 hectares in Karungulam and 250 hectares in Tiruchendur would be covered.
A subsidy Rs. 3,000 per hectare would be given to farmers under this mission on completion of machine transplantation. Campaigns to popularise the use of machinery were conducted among farmers at several villages, Mr. Jeyakumar said.
Citing its advantages, he said, “Use of machinery ensures uniform spacing and depth. Young seedlings can be transplanted and intercultural operations like weeding, and fertilizer and pesticide application can be carried out easily. Machine planting is cost-effective and results in good yield due to plant population maintenance.”
Deputy Director of Agriculture M. Kanagaraj and Assistant Director of Agriculture S. Mathiazhagan (Quality Control) took stock of machine transplantation on paddy fields at Keela Vallanadu.

Source : The Hindu