Banana growers in Tiruchi, Karur hope for bumper harvest

Farmers who have raised nendran, one of the most sought-after varieties of banana, in Tiruchi and Karur districts are upbeat about the prospects of a bumper harvest this season, thanks to availability of water for irrigation.

While nendran plantations have been raised on about 6,000 hectares in Tiruchi, it is 410 hectares in Karur. The crop is generally cultivated between April and February. There are farmers who transplant in May and June depending upon the availability of water sources.

Nendran has been raised on large tracts of fertile lands in Kulithalai, Neithalur, Sirugamani, Perugamani, Pettavaithalai, Kuzhumani, Thayanur, Mutharasanallur, Somarasampettai, Thiruvalarcholai, Panayapuram and Kallanai.

The growers usually irrigate their fields for the first three to four months by tapping groundwater and then with Cauvery water. This year, the season got off to a good start with the opening of Mettur dam on June 12. Since then there have been hardly any complaints on supply of water. Good rainfall received during the southwest monsoon and moderate showers from the northeast augur well for them.

Thunderstorms with strong winds are generally considered a potential danger to banana plantations. Banana growers nursed genuine fears for their standing crop during Nivar and Beruvi cyclones. However, there was not much damage.

The banana crop transplanted in April last will be ready for harvest in six to seven weeks. “The crop is healthy. We have so far not come across shortage of water or natural disturbances. If everything goes well in the next two weeks, we hope for a better harvest and productivity this season,” said K. Selvaraj, a nendran banana grower in Neithalur.

Many farmers hope that the yield will be in the range of 12 to 15 a kg in Kallanai, Kilikoodu, Panayapuram and Thiruvalarcholai and around 30 kg per bunch in Sirugamani and Perugamani, which are considered high-yielding areas due to fertility of soil and water resources.

“There have been no major complaints of pest attack. The prevailing condition is conducive for a good end to nendran season. We expect a good yield,” said Manimekalai, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Karur district.

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