Brimming reservoirs to boost state’s crop yield by R Satyanarayana

With a significant improvement in levels of major irrigation reservoirs in the state, thanks to a robust north-east monsoon, Tamil Nadu can look forward to a decent production of summer crops that can potentially arrest the rising prices of vegetables, pulses and food grains. And despite the power woes of farmers and shrinking area of farm lands in the wake of real estate growth, the state’s agricultural yield seems to be a rising curve.

There are a total of 15 irrigation reservoirs including Mettur, Periyar, Amaravathi, Vaigai, Sathanur and Aliyar where water levels have gone up compared to the previous year, TOI learns. According to the latest data available with the Public Works Department (PWD),the current storage of ten of these reservoirs is high. "Due to good rainfall over the state, this year the production of summer crops including paddy and pulses is expected to increase", Agriculture Department Principal Secretary Dr P Rama Mohana Rao said.

He said that his department currently assessing the coverage area of summer crops across the state. Additional Director of Agriculture ( Government of India scheme) T Gopalakrishnan said that the northeast monsoon has brought more than 40% excess rain in the state, which resulted in considerable storage in all major reservoirs.

He said in summer season, the average area of paddy cultivation is 2.61 lakh hectares.

"With the available water in the reservoirs, lakes and tanks, the department has predicted that this year, the area of paddy cultivation will be 3.5 lakh hectares, a rise of 35% compared to last year", he added. He said during last year summer, the area of paddy cultivation was only 2.08 lakh hectares.

The cultivation of some summer crops, known as third season of crops, including rice, pulses, groundnut, sugarcane and cotton had begun gradually from December last.

In Mettur the storage level as on date is 110.54 feet compared to last year’s figure of only 79.52 feet, while Periyar water level is at 126.50 feet as compared to the previous year’s storage of 115.60. According to official information, in the area irrigated 26% area (7.53 lakh hectares) is under canal irrigation, 18% area (5.06 lakh hectares) under tank irrigation and 56% is (16.04 lakh hectares) under well irrigation. Tamil Nadu Farmers Sangam (Association) State president K Balakrishnan said that the government should ensure uninterrupted power supply to the farmers, which would ensure them good production during summer.

"About 50% of cultivable area in TN is dependent on electricity," he noted. He also alleged that the state is not giving priority to provide continuous electricity supply since the power is of free of cost to the farmers.