Wet weather conditions worry farmers

Delta farmers are keeping their fingers crossed about the prospects of samba harvest due to unseasonal rain and misty weather conditions prevailing over the region for the past few days.

The farmers came across a similar situation during the recently concluded kuruvai harvest when they faced hurdles in harvest and disposal of paddy.

With the harvest of samba crop yet to gain momentum in delta districts, Sundara Vimalanathan, secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Protection Association, said the unseasonal rain and heavy mist in the morning would have a direct impact on the moisture content in paddy grains apart from making the harvesting, even with the use of machines, difficult.

Claiming that the moisture content would remain above the stipulated 17% due to the weather conditions, he called upon the State and Centre to ensure timely completion of the processes to arrive at the enhanced moisture content level in paddy before the samba harvest picked up momentum and the harvested grains brought to the direct purchase centres.

Pointing out that fixation of moisture content level around 20% to 21% would be a win-win situation for both cultivators and the major purchaser – Food Corporation of India, G. Sethuraman of Nannillam, a progressive farmer, said astute handling of paddy by officials during the post-procurement process would help reduce the loss in conversion of paddy grains as rice.

Meanwhile, G. Srinivasan of Ganapathi Agraharam in Papansam tahluk, a progressive farmer, urged the paddy procurement agency – Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation – to ensure safe storage of samba paddy procured through the DPCs until they were moved for milling.