Coimbatore: Summer rain that lashed the district, including its catchment areas, may have brought general cheer among the farming community, but it has delayed cultivation of vegetables and spices by almost 20 days. The continuous rainfall, and as a result waterlogging, did not give farmers adequate time to prepare their soil for summer cultivation, say farmers and officers. However, with the showers slowing down the past week, cultivation has begun at a brisk pace in Thondamuthur, Annur and Anamalai.Horticulture officers say that though the heavy summer rain is expected to recharge ground water levels, it delayed soil preparation activities by almost three weeks. “It is in May that, with a few summer rains, the farmers prepare the fields for summer cultivation. They wet the soil and plough it neatly so that sowing can take place a couple of days later,” said additional director of horticulture, Thondamuthur, G Vasanthi. “However, with the rain in May and June first week being heavy and continuous, there was water logging in most farmers’ fields,” she said. “When the soil is wet and there is water logging, we can’t plough it either,” said R Periyasamy, a farmer based in Theethipalayam.However, sowing of small onions has begun in parts of Thondamuthur. “Usually small onion sowing begins in May-end or the beginning of June, but this year it began only last weekend,” said Periyasamy. “The crop that is cultivated both as kharif and rabi, is expected to be cultivated across 700 hectares during summer alone this year,” said Vasanthi. “Usually almost 80% of the small onion cultivation is done in Thondamuthur during the summer,” she added.Turmeric cultivation has been delayed by 20 days and is expected to be delayed by another 10 days. “Turmeric’s peak sowing season across Thondamuthur and Annur is also June first week, but that has not begun in the district yet,” she said. Tomato cultivation also has been delayed. “Though it is a delayed cultivation, we expect a good yield in terms of quantity and quality because of the rain. If it continues to drizzle through the next four months, it should be beneficial,” said another farmer based in Theethipalayam, Perumalsamy. “Turmeric requires good rain, not too heavy but is evenly distributed,” he added.

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