Chennai, Feb 12 (IANS) Farmers across Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta districts are reporting a noticeable decline in samba paddy yields this season, with nearly a quarter of the cultivated area already harvested in three of the four major districts.

Many growers say production has fallen compared to last year due to adverse weather conditions and water management challenges.

In Thanjavur district, samba and thaladi crops were raised on about 1.31 lakh hectares, of which harvesting has been completed on over 41,500 hectares. In neighbouring Tiruvarur, paddy was cultivated across nearly 1.46 lakh hectares, with harvest finished on around 31,200 hectares so far.

Early field assessments indicate that yields have dropped significantly in several pockets.

Farmers in Tiruvarur’s Mangudi, Kottur, Tiruthuraipoondi and Mannargudi belts have recorded lower output per acre compared to last season.

Department data also showed a dip in productivity. While last year’s average yield stood at 3,790 kg per hectare, the current season’s average has fallen to about 3,153 kg per hectare.

In Thanjavur, however, yields remain relatively stable in some areas, especially where long-duration paddy varieties were cultivated.

Farmers who opted for traditional long-term varieties have reported better results, while those growing medium-duration crops have experienced reduced output.

Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts too have seen concerns over poor harvests. Though official assessments are still under way, field-level reports suggest that farmers are getting much lower quantities per acre than expected.

Agricultural experts attribute the decline to a combination of climatic and infrastructural factors. Delayed release of Mettur dam water to tail-end regions disrupted timely land preparation and sowing.

The absence of summer showers before the Kuruvai season further slowed preparatory work, pushing back the cultivation schedule.

Subsequently, unseasonal rain caused waterlogging after the Kuruvai harvest, narrowing the sowing window for samba and thaladi crops. Cyclone-related rainfall during the early growth stages damaged young plants.

High humidity and cold spells also encouraged the spread of crop diseases and grain discolouration.

Farmers have also pointed to poor canal maintenance and inadequate desilting, which prevented excess water from draining efficiently, aggravating field losses.

Together, these factors have compounded stress on delta agriculture, raising fresh concerns over income stability for paddy growers this year.

–IANS

aal/svn