The Hindu Business Line : Kannur, Thrissur receive excess rainfall

KANNUR and Thrissur districts received excess rainfall during the period between October 1 and December 29 this year, says the latest Agromet advisory bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

In the same period, rainfall was deficient in Idukki, Kollam, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram and Wayanad districts, while other districts in the State received normal rainfall.

The mean minimum temperature in the State from December 27 to December 29 varied between 20 degrees C and 23 degrees C. The lowest minimum temperature of 18.9 degree C was recorded at the Cochin International Airport on December 27.

Stage and state of crops: `Mundakan' paddy crop has entered the flowering stage. Water management and final weeding operations are still being continued. Late planted crop and medium duration varieties are in late panicle stage to boot leaf stage.

Plant protection operations against stem borer, rice bug and sheath blight disease continue. In coconut, massive spraying operations against the eriophid mite are on.

In coconut, pepper, arecanut, nutmeg and cardamom intercultural operations, plant protection measures and giving shade to young plants are in progress along with harvest operations. Monthly top dressing operations are progressing in banana, tapioca and vegetables. Harvesting continues for turmeric and ginger.

New planting continues in banana, tapioca and seasonal vegetables in areas with irrigation facilities. Seawater intrusion into irrigation canals, as a result of the tsunami, has not receded making irrigation impossible in coastal areas.

Farm advisory: In light of seawater intrusions into irrigation canals as a result of the tsunami, farmers are advised to undertake regular and timely crop operations and also contact the nearest Krishi Bhavan for advice. Weeding, judicious water management after checking salinity levels and second top dressing for late-planted `mundakan' crop can be continued.

Paddy fields should be closely watched for sheath blight and rot disease in boot leaves stage. Adopt control measures for plant hoppers and rice bug in fields. In coconut, community spraying can be done to deal with mite attack. This will also reduce incidences of coried bug attack.

Plant protection measures can be adopted against red palm weevil, coried bug, leaf rot and stem bleeding. In areas with irrigation facilities, irrigation of coconut and other garden land crops can be done once in every 10-14 days depending on crop, soil and water availability.

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