1 Jul 2025
Thanjavur district is nearing the completion of its summer paddy harvest, with yields reported as satisfactory though slightly below expectations. According to data from the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), over 70,000 tonnes of paddy have been procured so far this season.
This year, summer paddy was cultivated over 45,000 acres, a notable increase of 7,500 acres compared to the usual area, as per the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department. Summer paddy refers to crops sown or transplanted before March 31.
Harvesting has been completed across approximately 42,000 acres, with mixed results across regions. In Orathanadu, yields are ranging from 30 to 36 bags per acre, with some areas recording up to 40 bags (each bag weighing 60 kg). "While this is a decent yield, most farmers were expecting around 45 bags per acre," noted Sami Natarajan, a local farmer and General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association.
Agriculture officials have reported district-wide average yields of 37 to 43 bags per acre, translating to 2,160 to 2,400 kg per acre — an improvement over last year’s average of 1,800 to 2,000 kg per acre.
Paddy procurement is actively underway through 214 Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) in Thanjavur. TNCSC officials estimate that total procurement may reach 2.5 to 3 lakh tonnes before the start of the Kharif procurement season on September 1.
Officials also noted that early harvests of Kuruvai paddy could begin arriving at DPCs ahead of the Kharif season. Since April 1, Kuruvai transplantation has been completed over 85,000 acres, and for the current cropping cycle, paddy cultivation is expected to cover 1.93 lakh acres, supported by healthy water storage levels in the Mettur Dam.