Weak monsoon, soaring fertilizer costs put Thrissur paddy farmers in a tight spot

A weak southwest monsoon and a prolonged dry spell have left paddy farmers in Thrissur district anxious, with water levels in several paddy fields already falling to a minimum just as the planting season gets under way.

"Barely enough water is available now to plant the seedlings. If the dry spell continues, paddy cultivation could be in serious trouble by next month," said Tom Kiran, a young farmer from Velukkara panchayat.

Around 500 acres of paddy fields are cultivated by 12 paddy societies in Velukkara, where farmers say they are growing increasingly worried about the prospects of the crop as the rains continue to stay away.

Organic farmer Sreeja of Arangottukara said even fields where seedlings have already been planted are facing a shortage of water. "There is already a shortage of water in the fields where the seedlings have been planted. If this continues, the newly planted seedlings will dry up," she said.

The rainfall deficit has also cast a shadow over preparations in the kole fields. Farmers planning to begin cultivation are particularly concerned about the continuing lack of rain and the possibility of erratic weather patterns affecting the crop cycle.

The dry spell has come at a crucial time. Most paddy fields have completed the initial stages of land preparation and farmers have begun planting seedlings. With the southwest monsoon expected to withdraw by the end of the month, farmers are now pinning their hopes on the northeast monsoon, known in Kerala as Thulavarsham.

The kole fields of Thrissur and Ponnani are low-lying wetlands, largely below sea level, that depend on a careful balance of monsoon rain and tidal flow. They were designated a Ramsar site of international importance in 2002. Cultivation there is timed to the monsoon calendar, which makes any shift in rainfall patterns directly consequential for farmers.

The uncertainty follows two difficult years for paddy farmers. Excessive rainfall and flooding had destroyed crops, forcing some farmers to replant seedlings as many as three times. With little time to raise seedlings themselves, several farmers were forced to buy them last year, pushing up labour and cultivation costs. Even so, the harvest last season remained poor, farmers say.

Many farmers whose crops were destroyed over the past two years also say they are still waiting for their insurance claims to be settled.

Fertilizer prices add to farmers' burden

The shortage of rain is not the only concern. A steep rise in fertilizer prices has further increased the cost of cultivation. Farmers say prices have risen by more than 50 per cent over the past year. The cost of commonly used fertilizers such as Factamfos and potash has increased sharply, adding to the burden on paddy, coconut, banana and vegetable growers.

"Fertilizer prices have gone up by more than 50 per cent. At a time when water availability in the outer channels is declining, the increase in input costs is another major blow to farmers," said Kolangatt Gopinathan, president of a Kolepadavu cooperative society.

Farmers are also worried about declining water levels in dams and the impact this could have on irrigation in the coming weeks.

Around 30,000 farmers cultivate paddy across nearly 13,000 hectares of the Thrissur-Ponnani kole fields. With the fields entering the crucial planting stage, farmers say a prolonged dry spell could turn the coming weeks into a critical period for the crop.