CUDDALORE: The transition from agriculture to horticulture is happening in the district with the rains playing the spoilsport. Vegetables, fruits and flowers find a place among farmers, where paddy and sugarcane ruled the roost earlier. In the past two years, horticulture cultivation increased by 16.7 per cent.
Due to the erratic monsoon and lack of water in several localities, farmers in the region are switching over to horticulture. Paddy, which requires abundant water, is fading out with vegetables and fruits leading the pack, said horticultural department officials.
It was found in a study by the horticultural department that horticultural crops account for at least 45 per cent in the region and vegetable cultivation witnessed a 2 per cent rise in the past two years. According to the data, cashew cultivation accounts for 30 per cent, while vegetables and fruits have cornered 15 per cent.
Speaking to Express, a senior horticulture department official said, “Horticulture is leading in several parts of the district, including delta region, which are facing water scarcity due to the erratic monsoon. For the first time, Thanjavur, the rice bowl of the state, has also seen farmers laying their hands on vegetables and fruits.”
As paddy and sugarcane cultivation is not fetching good return, there are many takers for horticulture, the official added. N Kannan, a farmer from Kaganankuppam, is betting big on lady’s finger cultivation followed by guava and brinjal. The soil is conducive and less water is needed for their farming. Despite being a coastal town, the Cuddalore region is known for its fertile soil. There are also many takers for cultivating flowers and many have tried their hands on marigold cultivation.From 2013 to 2018, the entire acreage has been reduced to 8,13,000 hectares, according to officials. For the past 10 years, horticulture in state improved by 2.63 lakh hectare to 4.78 lakh hectares, according to data.