Cauvery farmers keep their fingers crossed for good monsoon

There is 60:40 chance of good Kuruvai paddy crop this time and one can wait until July for the Southwest monsoon. However, the farmers are keeping their fingers crossed, according to a senior official of a farmers' association in Cauvery delta in Tamil Nadu.

"About one lakh acres of paddy has been sown in the delta region by those who have ground water source. We can wait till the first week of July for water for sowing of paddy. If the monsoon fails, it is better for the farmers to drop the Kuruvai crop (short-term) and go for Samba crop," S. Ranganathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, told IANS.

He said if the monsoon sets in before June 12 and rains and the water level in Mettur dam goes up to 60 feet, then the water could be released for Kuruvai.

Ranganathan said that farmers should go for very short-term paddy varieties.

On the other hand, if the monsoon fails, the government should conserve what ever water is available in Mettur dam, including Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery river water from Karnataka, and stock it up while the farmers can look at Samba crop.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted Southwest Monsoon to set over Kerala on June 6.

--IANS

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