Rain upends farm calendar in upper, northern Kuttanad
The Hindu
Paddy farmers facing the prospects of huge loss seek Govt. intervention
With the abrupt change in rainfall pattern, the farm calendar of upper and northern Kuttanad regions has gone for a toss with paddy farmers facing the prospects of huge loss.
According to farmers, torrential rain in the latter part of monsoon has hit the harvesting of the Virippu (monsoon) crop across the region, besides bringing to light gaps in post-harvest storage management. The delay in concluding the season has also cast a shadow over the next cycle of cultivation as well.
The region’s farm calendar stipulate the Virippu season to begin in May-June so as to complete the harvest by October-November. A timely completion of the monsoon crop will enable the farmers to launch the next season, Punja, by mid-November. Any delay in concluding the Punja season by March involves the risk of more losses due to summer rain, as witnessed in April this year.
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