The Hindu Business Line : Seasonal rainfall evenly spread in Kerala

RAINFALL recorded in the State for the week ending October 27 may have been `normal' for the lone district of Alappuzha and `deficient' or `scanty' for the rest, but the season's (October 1 to 27) record tells a different story.

According to the Agromet Bulletin dated October 29 issued by the Met Office, Thiruvananthapuram, the season's rainfall was `excess' in Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Thrissur; `normal' in Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragode, Kollam, Kottayam, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram; and `deficient' in Wayanad.

The southern districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam were yet to receive their due - the first few real northeast monsoon drenchers that last overnight with predictable claps of thunder and ferocious strokes of lightning.

Chief amounts of rainfall in cm are (October 25 to 28):

October 25: Mancompu - 2; and Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram City - 1 each.

October 26: Chengannur and Konni - 5 each; Kochi Airport and Piravom - 4 each; Mancompu - 3; Kayamkulam, Haripad, Kasaragode, Kudulu and Thiruvalla - 2 each; and Alappuzha, Kannur, Thalassery and Kottayam - 1 each.

October 28: Aluva and Neyyattinkara - 2 each; and Kochi Airport, Perumbavur and Haripad - 1 each.

Mean maximum temperature varied between 31 deg C and 34 deg C in various districts. The highest maximum of 34.5 deg C was recorded in Kannur on October 25 and 26. It was 3 deg above normal in Kozhikode on October 27, Kollam on October 25 and 27 and Ernakulam on October 25 and 27.

Mean minimum temperature varied between 22 deg C and 25 deg C, with Alappuzha recording the lowest minimum of 20.4 deg C on October 26. In Alappuzha, the minimum temperature was 4 deg below normal on October 26 and 3 deg below normal on October 25 and 27. Mean relative humidity varied between 65 per cent and 87 per cent in various districts, mean cloud coverage between 4 okta and 7 okta and mean wind speed between 2 kmph and 8 kmph.

Forecast valid until the morning of October 31 spoke about the possibility of rain at many places in all districts. Outlook for the two subsequent days did not indicate any significant change.

Stage and state of crops: Direct sown paddy for the Mundakan crop is now in the early tillering to tillering stage. Transplanting is also progressing. In coconut, arecanut, pepper, cardamom and rubber gardens, weeding, intercultural operations and second dose of manufacturing and fertiliser application are in progress.

New planting and harvesting are on in banana, tapioca and sugarcane. Harvesting has also begun in cardamom, ginger and turmeric. Cashew has reached the flushing stage and intercultural operations and spraying are being taken up subsequently.

Rubber tapping is in progress. Intercultural operations, top dressing, plant protection and harvesting continue in vegetables and banana.

Farm advisory: In transplanted paddy fields, incidence of gall midge and leaf roller attack is indicated. Spraying with Quinalphos at 1.5 ml/litre of water may be done in areas where the threshold level exceeds the limit. In coconut gardens, intercultural operations, fertiliser application and spraying with 1 per cent Bordeaux mixture at 1.5 litre may be tried out with each palm.

In case of `pink' disease and tea mosquito infestation, need-based spraying operations with 1.5 ml of Monocrotophos mixed with copper oxy chloride at 2 gm/litre of water may be carried out.

In pepper, a third round of spraying with Bordeaux mixture can be continued with. Besides, need-based spraying with Dimethoate at 2 ml per litre of water may be resorted to fight gall thrips and mite.

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