Summer rain in the past four days has brought cheer to farmers, especially coffee farmers in Wayanad, a major Robusta coffee and ginger growing region in the State.
“The prolonged dry spell had caused moisture depletion in the soil and it was leading to a drought-like situation,” K. Ajith Kumar, Associate Director of Research, RARS, told The Hindu. However, the pre-monsoon rain that the district received is quite good for all crops, especially perennial crops like coffee, tea, pepper and rubber, he said. The IMD had forecast an average of 22.25 mm rainfall in the district till Sunday, he added.
“Back-up showers during the period are crucial for the formation of coffee beans. Coffee plants in most parts of the district bloomed after summer rain by the middle of February,” said Prasanth Rajesh, president, Wayanad Coffee Growers Association. The showers will also help in the rejuvenation of pepper vines, an inter-crop. “Usually, this is the time to complete the works for ginger cultivation, especially the cultivation on plains, but owing to the delay in summer rain, the cultivation also delayed in many a part of the district,” farming sources said.
The rain will facilitate planting of ginger rhizomes on hill slopes and provide adequate moisture for crops such as elephant foot yam, planted on the plains a month ago.
Unfortunately, heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds adversely affected plantain and vegetable crops in the plains, resulting in heavy loss to farmers.
