Paddy sowing for ‘puncha’ (first) crop season is in full swing in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha.
The season witnesses the most extensive acreage of paddy cultivation in the region. According to the Agriculture department, farmers are expected to undertake paddy farming on 27,000 hectares in the ‘puncha’ season in the district, a significant portion of which will be in Kuttanad. “Field preparation activities and sowing are going on in full throttle in paddy growing areas in Alappuzha. Sowing has so far been completed in around 10,000 hectares and we expect the process to be over across the district by December-end,” says an Agriculture department official.
The field preparation activities for the ‘puncha’ season began by October-end. However, a rise in water level caused by the ingress of seawater due to high tide adversely affected the preparations in Kuttanad. Water entered several fields, including those ready for sowing. Intermittent heavy downpours in November, which increased the flow of floodwaters from the eastern side, further aggravated the situation.
The high tide and rains forced farmers to postpone sowing to December in several areas. Some fields, which witnessed outer bund breaches following a rise in the water level, have not yet been fully dewatered. Earlier, the ryots also faced the issue of seed shortage. The interventions made by the Agriculture department have helped to address the problem to a large extent.
Meanwhile, the harvest and procurement of paddy cultivated in the additional (second) crop season is nearing completion in the district. The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) has procured around 35,000 tonnes of paddy from farmers as more than 90% of the cultivated area has been harvested so far. Farmers cultivated paddy on 9,122 hectares in the additional season in the district with the major portion in Kuttanad.
