With farmers commencing agricultural activities for the current Kharif season, the Department of Agriculture has fixed a target of 52,000 hectares for paddy cultivation in the district, said C. Chinnasamy, Joint Director of Agriculture here.

Water was released in Kalingarayan Canal to irrigate 15,743 acre, Arakankottai – Thadapalli canals to irrigate 24,504 acre recently. The State government had announced that water will be released in Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal from August 15 to irrigate 1,03,500 acre in the district. Also, monsoon is expected to bring copious water to the Bhavani Sagar dam which will help in adequate availability of water for the paddy cultivation. Currently, nursery preparation for paddy has been completed and farmers started preparing their land for planting the saplings.

Mr. Chinnasamy said that Kuruvai cultivation is in full swing in the district and the department had set a target of 52,000 hectare of paddy cultivation. He said that adequate fertilizers were available at the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies and were sold to the farmers at subsidised rates. Block level officers were asked to monitor the sale of fertilizers in societies and in private shops, he added. A total of 312 fertilizer samples were taken in the past four months and eight samples were identified as sub-standard and action were taken, he said.

Mr. Chinnasamy warned that action would be taken against persons if they were found selling fertilizers without obtaining license and also for stocking. “If traders were found selling fertilizers at higher prices, action would be taken”, he added.