Rains raise farmers’ hopes of rich samba harvest, like kuruvai
The release of water from Mettur and the continuous flow of water in the Cauvery along with widespread rainfall, the samba cultivation is expected to attain expected target this year and the farmers, who were sceptical initially, have expressed hope as a decent rainfall is expected to lash across the Delta.
While the Cauvery Delta witnessed bumper harvest in kuruvai this year, the samba harvest is also expected in the same vein. According to official sources, in Thanjavur, a target of kuruvai was fixed at 43,250 ha but it was increased due to water availability and the harvest was made at 58,948 ha this year, while the thaladi was harvested at 50,000 ha against the usual 30,000 ha and so the samba target was fixed at 85,000 ha this year.
So far planting of saplings has been covered over an area of 58,000 ha while in thaladi, 20,000 ha has been covered. The remaining area would be covered in due course of time and the officials predict the target would be achieved as expected in the district.
Meanwhile, in Tiruvarur, samba cultivation is targeted at 1.10 ha this year while Thaladi has been fixed at 38,000 ha. So far 1.09 ha samba cultivation has been completed in the district while 24,000 ha thaladi has been covered so far and the remaining area would be covered very soon as the Northeast monsoon is expected to fulfil the water needs in the region.
Similarly in Nagapattinam samba cultivation is targeted at 95,000 ha and thaladi at 45,000 ha this year. And the district so far covered 70,000 ha samba and 40,000 thaladi.
Monsoon brings bliss to farmers
Though the Northeast monsoon has commenced in the district, the Delta has received moderate rainfall and farmers who have commenced the cultivation in full swing have expressed hope that they would receive adequate rainfall during this monsoon according to the prediction of the meteorological department.
The officials from the agriculture department in the region confirmed that the samba and thaladi cultivation have commenced in full swing and the monsoon would help them to achieve the target in 10 days.