Cauvery Delta Farmers Face 40% Drop in Samba Paddy Yield

Farmers in the Cauvery delta region have experienced a significant drop in samba paddy yield this year, with a nearly 40% reduction reported. This decrease is attributed to the reduced flow of Cauvery water from the Mettur dam and a rainfall deficit during the northeast monsoon. In Thanjavur district, the area under samba and thalady paddy cultivation has decreased by 50,705 acres to a total of 2,96,557 acres. Farmers report a decrease in yield from an average of 42-45 bags (60 kg each) per acre to around 30 bags per acre, and in some areas, only 27 bags per acre.

Pest attacks, usually mitigated by monsoon rains, have also contributed to the lower yield. The agriculture department's crop cutting experiments across the district confirm this trend. Approximately 49,000 acres, or about 17% of the paddy area in Thanjavur district, have been harvested. The lowest yield recorded was 172 kg per acre at Vannarapettai. The historical average paddy yield in the district is 1,417 kg per acre, while last year's average was 1,864 kg per acre.

In Tiruvarur district, out of 1,44,783 hectares of samba and thalady paddy cultivation, harvesting is complete in around 40,000 hectares. Though district-level yield data is pending, initial reports indicate a significant decrease in yield compared to last year. For instance, in Needamangalam, the yield is now about four tonnes per hectare, down from more than five tonnes per hectare previously.