CHAPTER I

Introduction

                         Who Ploughing eat their food, they truly live;

                 The rest to others bend subservient, eating what they give.

       Ayyan Thiruvalluvar

They alone live who live by agriculture; All others lead a cringing, dependent life.

In order to improve the economic condition of the farmers and to improve the economy of our country, various schemes are implemented by the Government in the agricultural sector. Inspite of increasing food production manifold in the past few decades, increasing population and shrinking cultivable area have become the great challenges to us in our efforts to meet the growing demands.

"However they roam, the world must follow still the plougher's team"

Not only the kings of those days but also the present day Governments realised the fact that the world fully depends upon Agriculture. Various State and Centrally Sponsored Schemes are oriented towards achieving the goal of increasing agricultural production by increasing the productivity and cropping intensity of various crops. The Government of India and the State Government are partners in the objective to achieve the goal of ‘Doubling Food Production’ in the immediate future.

Ayyan Thiruvalluvar who has given the "the world acclaimed Thirukkural", has acknowledged the excellence and benefits of rain and elaborated in detail, the benefits derived from rain and also stated the effects of rain when it is in excess as well as when it is deficient. It is the farming community which derives the benefit out of rain and also sustaining untold sufferings at times of natural calamities. The world can not exist without Agriculture and without the efforts of farmers. Even the ascetics could not shun food.

This Government which constructed "Valluvar Kottam" has also erected a statue for Ayyan Thiruvalluvar at the confluence of the three oceans at Kanyakumari. Acknowledging the greatness of the farmers, this Government has evolved schemes to uplift them in all aspects and the Agriculture Department is entrusted with the responsibility of implementing these schemes.

Ensuring increased agricultural production and farm family income on a sustained basis in addition to the quality farm produce are the main goals of this Government. It is the endeavor of the Government to exploit untapped production potential, disseminate suitable technologies in rainfed areas and create green cover in wastelands. Achieving "7 MT/ Ha." in Paddy production and "650 kg. /ha." in pulses production by the end of the Ninth Plan Period is the motto of the department. Popularising Integrated Pest Management, Promoting organic farming to protect the environment, micro irrigation, bio-fertiliser usage to reduce cost of cultivation Wasteland Development and "Broad Based Extension" for increasing the farm income, and ensuring remunerative price to the farmers for their produce through 'Uzhavar Santhai' are the areas for which special thrust is given by the Government so as to achieve "Ever Green Revolution" in the State.

CHAPTER I I

AGRICULTURE

Seasonal Behaviour

The season wise receipt of rainfall during 1999-2000 compared with the normal and the actual rainfall received during the last year for the same period are given below:

                        (In m.m.)

Crop performance during 1999-2000

The overall receipt of rainfall upto February 2000 from March ’99 has been excess by 1 % compared to normal, and deficit by 9 % compared to that of last year for the corresponding period. The deficient rains during the South West Monsoon has caused substantial shortfall in the coverage of rainfed millets, pulses, cotton and oilseeds.

 The Mettur Reservoir was opened for irrigation on 1.7.99 about 3 weeks behind schedule. Due to apprehension in the minds of the farmers owing to inadequate storage position the coverage in kuruvai came down to 0.958 L.Ha. with substantial reduction in area in Cauvery Delta. However the shortfall was made good in Samba. The excess rains received during second week of November caused sporadic damage to the paddy and other crops in delta districts. Though aberrant weather conditions, which prevailed, had an impact over the production of millets and pulses, the shortfall in the production of the Kharif crops has been partially made good during Rabi. The coverage and production anticipated are as follows:-

A record production of 81.41 LMT in rice was achieved and the productivity of 3579 kgs. of rice per hectare was the highest during 1998-99.