Even as they grapple with growing financial and climatic uncertainties, the farmers of Kuttanad have begun returning to their fields with the onset of monsoon.
According to various farmer collectives, preparatory works for launching the monsoon crop called Virippu have reached the halfway stage in most parts of the region. Besides preparing the land and sowing seeds, the scope of works taken up this time includes strengthening the outer bunds of polder networks to mitigate the impact of seasonal flooding.
“Paddy cultivation serves as the sole source of income to a majority of the farmers in Kuttanad. A few among them, however, have decided to abstain from cultivation this time as a mark of protest against the delay in clearing the dues. This will have an adverse impact on the local economy while also raising the risk of flooding,” said Sonichen Antony Pulinkunnu, coordinator, Paddy Farmers Protection Council in Kuttanad.
