Preparations are in full swing for paddy harvest in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha district.
According to the Agriculture department, farmers have cultivated rice on 609 paddy polders, spread across 26,414 hectares, a majority of them in Kuttanad during the ‘puncha’ crop season in the district.
“Paddy harvest has already begun in a few fields in places like Karuvatta. The process, however, will gain momentum in the coming weeks when more fields will be harvested. By the end of February, harvesting will be completed in 23 fields. In March and April, 350 and 150 polders respectively will be harvested. Harvesting in Kuttanad will commence in the coming weeks, with the majority of fields there set to go under combine harvesters in March and April,” said an Agriculture department official.
A meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister P. Prasad recently decided to deploy around 400 combine harvesters to ensure a smooth harvest. Authorities have fixed the rental rate for harvesters at a maximum of ₹2,200 per acre for the season.
High salinity levels in waterbodies continue to pose a threat to paddy cultivation in several places in the district. Aikya Kuttanad Padasekhara Ekopana Samithi will organise a protest march to paddy marketing office at Mankombu in Kuttanad on February 12 at 3.30 p.m, raising various demands. In a statement issued here on Monday, the samithi urged the government to release water from dams to bring down salinity levels. It also asked the government to increase the paddy procurement price to ₹35 per kg from the present ₹28.20.
Meanwhile, Karshaka Congress will stage a protest march to Alappuzha District Collectorate on Wednesday demanding immediate measures to bring down salinity levels in waterbodies. It will be inaugurated by Karshaka Congress State president Majush Mathew at 10 a.m.
Published – February 10, 2025 07:02 pm IST
