COIMBATORE: Pulse and millet production in the district may increase next year, if the North-East monsoon also fails like the South-West monsoon. The district has received only 36% of the rainfall expected during the SW monsoon, forcing farmers to start considering short-term rainfed crops if the NE monsoon also fails. However, the situation might be advantageous, considering the skyrocketing pulse prices.
The district has received only 58mm of rain, against the expected 160mm since June. Though September is when a majority of the rainfall is from the SW monsoon, hopes of reaching the expected rainfall are low.
"We had expected the rainfall to fall short by about 19% compared to the 210mm received last year, but this deficit is more than expected," admitted the director of the Agro Climate Research Station at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Dr S Paneerselvam.
With ground water levels and borewells touching an alarming low level, farmers cultivating traditional crops like paddy, banana and sugarcane have now begun looking for other options. "Usually, when the rainfall is poor, the NE monsoon has not been much better," said an organic farmer based in Arasur, G Ramasamy.
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