Farmers in Anaimalai, near Pollachi, have begun intensive paddy cultivation for the first crop season. However, they express distress over not receiving fair prices for their produce.
Coimbatore: Farmers in Anaimalai, near Pollachi, have intensified paddy transplantation activities for the first crop season.
This agricultural push comes amid growing concerns over fair pricing and reduced cultivation area.
The Anaimalai region, known for coconut, banana, and paddy cultivation through the Aliyar dam irrigation system, has seen a significant reduction in paddy cultivation area. From a previous 6,400 acres, the current paddy cultivation has shrunk to about 3,400 acres.
Farmers have raised complaints about the delayed release of water from the Aliyar dam, despite timely seasonal rains this year. They face multiple challenges, including labor shortages, rising fertilizer costs, and most critically, inadequate prices for their paddy produce.
The farming community expressed distress over the declining paddy cultivation in the Anaimalai area, primarily attributed to unfair pricing. They pointed out the stark difference in paddy prices between Tamil Nadu and the neighboring state of Kerala. While Kerala offers Rs. 2,800 per quintal of paddy, Tamil Nadu farmers receive only Rs. 2,200, significantly lower than their counterparts.
Furthermore, farmers have called for the establishment of permanent paddy procurement centers in the Anaimalai region. Currently, only temporary procurement centers are set up, which they feel is insufficient to address their needs.
The situation highlights the ongoing struggles of paddy farmers in the region, caught between the desire to continue their traditional cultivation and the economic realities of modern agriculture.
This agricultural push comes amid growing concerns over fair pricing and reduced cultivation area.
The Anaimalai region, known for coconut, banana, and paddy cultivation through the Aliyar dam irrigation system, has seen a significant reduction in paddy cultivation area. From a previous 6,400 acres, the current paddy cultivation has shrunk to about 3,400 acres.
Farmers have raised complaints about the delayed release of water from the Aliyar dam, despite timely seasonal rains this year. They face multiple challenges, including labor shortages, rising fertilizer costs, and most critically, inadequate prices for their paddy produce.
The farming community expressed distress over the declining paddy cultivation in the Anaimalai area, primarily attributed to unfair pricing. They pointed out the stark difference in paddy prices between Tamil Nadu and the neighboring state of Kerala. While Kerala offers Rs. 2,800 per quintal of paddy, Tamil Nadu farmers receive only Rs. 2,200, significantly lower than their counterparts.
Furthermore, farmers have called for the establishment of permanent paddy procurement centers in the Anaimalai region. Currently, only temporary procurement centers are set up, which they feel is insufficient to address their needs.
The situation highlights the ongoing struggles of paddy farmers in the region, caught between the desire to continue their traditional cultivation and the economic realities of modern agriculture.