ALAPPUZHA: The Civil Supplies Corporation has begun paddy procurement from the farmers in Kuttanad amidst heavy loss incurred in the North East Monsoon rain last week.The heavy rain, which submerged vast areas of paddy fields, has landed the farmers in Kuttanad in dire straits. “Thousands of acres of paddy cultivation were under water and this led to sprouting. Also, the moisture content in the paddy was comparatively high,” the farmers said.Kannitta padam A block, Dewsomkari, Edappilly, Edathaw, Karuvatta and other paddy fields in the Kuttanad region suffered the most in the rain.The farmers highlight the shortage of reaping machines as the main reason for their troubles. Lack of machines had led to the delay in reaping. “We had asked for eight reaping machine but only six were sanctioned. And in that, two were out of order,” Mohandas, a farmer in Kannittapadam, said. During the reaping season, the machines are usually brought from Palakkad and Tamil Nadu. But this time, machines reached very late, causing delay in reaping,” said Nandan, a farmer.“The cost of reaping has also increased due to the rain. Normally, it takes an hour to harvest one acre of paddy. But due to rain, more than two-and-a-half-hours were needed to reap one acre,” said Gopi Kizhakkeparambu.“The paddy reaped by machine was heaped in the field, which sprouted following the rain,” said Soman Pavathussery. “Adding to the woes, the moisture content in the paddy has reduced its price. ‘Uma’, a special variety of paddy was cultivated by the farmers as part of ‘puncha’ farming. Normally, it is resistant to wind and rain. But, following heavy rain it got submerged,” Soman said.The farmers also allege that the Civil Supplies Corporation is not paying the price for the procured paddy, in right time. During last season, the amount was distributed only after six months. As a result, the farmers had to take cash from private money lenders to do cultivation in the next season.Farmers say the distribution of compensation was also delayed. The agricultural department calculate the loss and distribute the amount only after three to four months. By that time, the interest of the money which they had taken from private money lenders increased. “To avoid this situation, the departments concerned should speed up the process of loss calculation and distribution of money,” Nandan said.Principal Agricultural Officer Nalinakumar said the department has been calculating the loss incurred because of rain. This season, the yield was very good compared to the recent years. However, the rain lashed when the process of reaping began. In some areas the paddy was submerged and in other areas it sprouted,” he said.“After calculating the loss, the department will submit it to the government,” Nalinakumar said.
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