Southwest monsoon failure strangulates farming in Tirunelveli, tourism in Tenkasi districts
A failed southwest monsoon has severely impacted agricultural output in Tirunelveli and tourism in the Tenkasi district. Farmers are struggling with low dam water levels, leading many to delay planting until the next monsoon season.
Why it matters
The failure of seasonal rains threatens local food security and the economic stability of rural communities dependent on agriculture and tourism.
The belied southwest monsoon this year has smothered farming operations in Tirunelveli district while landing excruciating punch on neighbouring Tenkasi district’s tourism industry, which would usually be bustling with activities during this season every year.
Since the southwest monsoon would bring in copious influx of water into the dams of Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts, it would be deciding the fate of ‘kar’ paddy season every year. After this monsoon played truant this year, the precarious storage level in the dams, especially in Manimuthar and Papanasam dams, has discouraged the agriculturists from going in for ‘kar’ paddy cultivation.
The farmers have so far raised agricultural crops, including paddy on only 5,676.98 hectares and the horticultural crops on 663.86 hectare, mostly in Vickramasingapuram, Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and Cheranmahadevi areas as the farmers having their holdings in Tirunelveli or Palayamkottai are sceptical about their fortune due to poor rainfall.
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