Water shortage leaves thousands of rice growers without income

The failure to release water from the Metur reservoir on the scheduled date of June 12 triggered a cascade of problems for delta farmers. Without adequate irrigation, many could not start the kuruvai paddy cycle, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 10,000 per acre for each affected farmer. In Nagapattinam, about 26,900 cultivators could not access the benefits of the kuruvai package, while in Tiruvannur the figure stands at 21,555. The lack of water also forced the abandonment of crops sown using groundwater, which withered under scorching temperatures. The farming community warns that continued scarcity and rising input costs could further damage the upcoming samba season.