Tamilnadu:Dindigul farmers pick Kerala rice over better yields, higher profits
By Saravanan MP
The increasing demand for rice from Kerala, coupled with good returns, has pushed farmers to opt for paddy cultivation in Dindigul district. Paddy was cultivated on over 13,000 hectares in 2023-2024, a stark increase from the 1,522 hectares in 2016-17.
K Magudeeswaran, a paddy farmer said, “There are many varieties of paddy in Palani and other areas such as Ayakudi, Pappampadi, Akkaraipatti and Narikalpatti. Some of the popular varieties are Jyothi Matta, Sindu Kaveri and Akashya. Jyothi Matta variety, which offers a yield of 1-1.5 tonnes per 60 cents of land, is bought by traders and mill owners and is sold in Kerala.
Since the crop period is just 120-130 days, many farmers opt for this variety.” Speaking to TNIE, Tamil Nadu Uzhavar Pathukappu Iyakkam state secretary R Kalidas said, “The rise in demand for rice from Kerala has pushed the farmers from Palani taluk to take up paddy farming. A paddy farmer gets 15 bags of paddy (100 kg) from 60 cents of farmland. The farmer could sell 15 bags for Rs 4,700-5,000.
Besides, other paddy varieties such as Matta Kaveri and Sindhu Kaveri also offer good returns. For example, a quintal of these varieties was priced around Rs 2,000- 2,350 some years ago. Now, traders are offering more than Rs 4,500.
”With several hundred tonnes of paddy being supplied to Kerala, farmers in Tamil Nadu are a happy lot.
Elaborating further, K Chandran, a trader, said, “I sent over 80 loads (each load of 2.5 tonnes) of rice to Kerala last year. There is huge demand for rice varieties such as Jyothi Matta and Una Matta. These varieties are similar to Rajabhogam rice sold in Tamil Nadu. Besides, the crop period is also around 135 days.
Buyers from Kerala show more interest in Jyothi Matta and Uma Matta, and they buy these varieties at Rs 25-35 per kg. These rice varieties are not procured by the state government. When the traders from Kerala show more interest and also offer a good price as compared to the procurement rate from the state government, farmers are tempted. Besides, the state government offers just Rs 24 per kg for paddy in Tamil Nadu. Farmers have to take their produce to the procurement centre and the logistics cost adds to the burden.”
Farmers must pay Rs 2 per kg for daily wagers in the state. Besides, when it rains, there is an added risk of the paddy getting wet. As a result, the farmers prefer to sow the paddy varieties preferred by buyers from Kerala, he added.
An official from the agriculture department said, “Jyothi Matta and Una Matta are much sought after varieties of paddy. When the traders come in large numbers and offer good prices, the farmers naturally feel comfortable. Farmers have the freedom to choose what crops they plant when they get a good price. When there is a demand for paddy from other districts and other states, they will go for it. This phenomenon is not limited to Kerala alone.”
This article has been republished from The New Indian Express.