Slow progress as paddy fields remain waterlogged following rain
The harvest of the second crop (additional crop) has begun in Kuttanad.
Chooravady padasekharam under the Thakazhi Krishi Bhavan was the first to go under the harvester on Sunday. The harvest at Chooravady was originally scheduled to begin a week ago but got delayed due to rain. Farmers said the harvest was making slow progress with combined harvesters getting stuck on the field due to waterlogging.
Meanwhile, harvesting has been delayed at the 200-acre Vadakara Edassery Varabinakam padasekharam in Edathua due to waterlogging. Ten combined harvesters brought from Tamil Nadu have not yet entered the field. The field was to go under the harvester on September 27. Farmers said that several paddy plants had already flattened and they had suffered losses.
With the weather agency predicting more rain in the coming days, farmers are a worried lot as it is likely to affect the harvesting process in other parts of the region. Paddy fields such as Varikkattukari, Vandakapuram, Undhumveli are among those next in line for harvest.
For speedy procurement
Farmers have urged authorities to initiate steps for speedy procurement of the harvested crop, as they fear rain would drench the harvest stored in paddy polders.
In 2020, paddy cultivated in around 600 hectares in the second crop season was destroyed following bund breaches caused by an increase in water level.
Meanwhile, farmers have started preparing fields for the upcoming ‘puncha’ season with sowing expected to begin later this month.
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