The harvest and procurement of paddy cultivated in the ‘puncha’ (first) crop season is all set to enter full throttle in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha.
The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) has purchased 1,712.63 tonnes from farmers in the district so far this season. “The harvest and procurement will gain momentum from Monday before reaching the peak by mid-March. By the end of March, 70% of the paddy sown area in the district will be harvested. At present nine mills are engaged in paddy procurement. Several more mills will join the process in the coming days,” says a Supplyco official.
According to officials, farmers have undertaken paddy farming on around 28,800 hectares in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. The Supplyco is expecting to procure 1,37,800 tonnes of paddy from Alappuzha in the current season. The procurement, which is expected to go on till mid-may, is done as per the registration made by farmers online.
Meanwhile, rising temperatures have raised concerns among paddy farmers. They fear the heatwave would result in a yield drop. Officials say that rice plants ripening prematurely due to rising temperatures have been reported in a few places. “We are yet to have a clear picture regarding the puncha crop yield. Fields already gone under combine harvesters have produced varying crop yields ranging from 2.2 tonnes to 2.8 tonnes per acre. If the temperature continues to rise, it will affect crop yields and quality. High temperatures cause heat stress in crops and affect their growth,” the official says.
Farmers have already booked around 200 combine harvesters in advance and at least another 200 machines would be needed for the smooth harvesting of the crop during the peak period. The rental rates for harvesters have been fixed at a maximum of ₹1,900 per hour except in ‘kayal’ fields where the rate is ₹2,000.
