Paddy harvest begins in Kuttanad

10 combine harvesters deployed for initial round of harvesting. Vadakara Edassery Varambinakam and Devaswom Varambinakam paddy polders at Edathua first to go under combine harvesters

The harvest of paddy crops cultivated in the additional crop season has begun in Kuttanad, with Vadakara Edassery Varambinakam and Devaswom Varambinakam paddy polders at Edathua being the first to go under combine harvesters.

For the initial round of harvesting, 10 combine harvesters have been deployed in various fields. Large-scale paddy harvest will progress in the coming days.

Earlier, the harvest of the additional crop was slightly delayed following uncertainty over paddy procurement. Officials said that a few mills had come forward to purchase the paddy with more expected to join the process in the coming days.

This time, several farmers have cultivated ‘Manuratna’, a rice variety developed by the Agricultural Research Station under the Kerala Agricultural University. It is a short duration variety. While ‘Uma’, the most popular variety, takes around 145 days for harvest in the second crop season, ‘Manuratna’ takes 100-105 days.

Farmers have undertaken paddy farming on 8,850 hectares in the additional season in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. Paddy cultivation in the additional season has been witnessing a steady decline in recent years. Until 2018, farmers used to cultivate paddy on around 15,000 hectares. Ryots blamed climate change and weak outer bunds for declining paddy cultivation.

This season, brown planthopper infestation has also been reported from some fields in the region. Farmers said the infestation had resulted in poor yield. The brown planthopper is an insect that feeds on rice plants. Severe infestations cause plants to wilt and dry up.

In the 2023-24 ‘puncha’ (first) crop season, Supplyco procured paddy from farmers at ₹28.20 per kg, including MSP of ₹21.83 and State incentive of ₹6.37. Though the Centre, earlier this year, had hiked the MSP to ₹23 per kg, it is not yet known whether farmers in the State will benefit from this increase. Farmers fear that the State government might reduce the additional amount from its share like in the previous seasons. Several farmers who cultivated paddy in the last ‘puncha’ season are yet to receive the payment for the paddy procured from them.

Meanwhile, preparation for the upcoming ‘puncha’ crop season will begin in the region in the coming weeks. The season witnesses the most extensive acreage of paddy cultivation in Kuttanad.

Published - September 22, 2024 07:29 pm IST