Last week's rain, a silver lining for farmers

Farmers in Kadur strive to save coconut, areca crops affected by 4 years of drought

The showers last week have brought smiles on the faces of farmers, who had lost hope in retaining their plantation crops, which were drying out due to acute shortage of water.

The taluk, which had been ravaged by four years of continuous drought, saw no rain in the previous two years. There was only North East monsoon, which provided water for the cultivation of crops. This time, the condition has worsened as there was no North East monsoon too. In addition, the groundwater level has gone lower than the normal, as a result of which the production of coconut and areca crops have witnessed an all-time low.

For the same reason, there was a lack of motivation among farmers to cultivate commercial crops such as cotton and onion. The priority of farmer now has shifted to retain the existing coconut and areca crops. The taluk has 24,000 hectares under coconut cultivation and 40% of the crop has now been lost. The condition of 14,000 hectares of areca plantation is no better.

Now, as the rain has arrived, the growers are in an attempt to revive the plantation crops. Grower Venkatesh Ayyangar from Maccheri said that the effort of 10 years has gone waste as his coconut and areca plantations have fallen barren. It might take several years again to revive the groundwater level. The farmers have to think of restarting the cultivation of plantation crops, he added.

Kadur Agriculture Department assistant director Shivakumar said that the farmers are now interested in cultivating groundnut, black gram, tur dal and hybrid corn, among other crops. The Department provides transplantation seeds to the farmers at a concessional rate, he assured.