As monsoon rains falter, Wayanad farmers in Kerala fear poor harvest
Rows of Robusta coffee plants, pepper vines winding around trees and fruit-laden exotic plants lend a picture-postcard charm to Baby John’s 6.5-acre plantation at Ambalavayal
Rows of Robusta coffee plants, pepper vines winding around trees and fruit-laden exotic plants lend a picture-postcard charm to Baby John’s 6.5-acre plantation at Ambalavayal in Wayanad, Kerala. But beneath the lush green canopy, the signs of a faltering monsoon are unmistakable. Pepper spikes have emerged but remain underdeveloped, coffee berries are developing unevenly, and the veteran farmer fears the poor southwest monsoon could significantly reduce this season’s harvest. Farmers share the concern in large parts of Wayanad, where a rainfall deficit has adversely affected agriculture. The district received only 270.23 mm of rain in June, the lowest for the month in the past five years, according to the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology. Experts attributed the rainfall deficit to the delayed onset and weakening of the southwest monsoon, influenced by climate change and El Niño Standing amid his plantation, Mr. John points to pepper vines where the spikes remain sparse and underdeveloped.
“Pepper vines normally begin producing spikes after the summer showers, with spike development continuing into the onset of the monsoon before berries develop. This year, poor rainfall has stunted their development,” he said. “Coffee plants bloomed and completed berry formation after the summer showers, but the weak monsoon in June has affected berry development. Adequate monsoon rainfall is crucial for the growth and size of the berries, but they have not developed properly this year.” M. Manoj, who owns a 5.5-acre mixed-crop plantation at Meenangadi, said the uneven distribution of summer rainfall and poor monsoon in June had compounded farmers’ woes. “Some parts of the district received summer showers, and the pepper vines initially started producing spikes. However, the dearth of rain during Thiruvathira Njattuvela, a period that traditionally receives continuous rainfall, halted spike development and is likely to reduce pepper production.
The uneven summer showers also caused coffee bushes to bloom at different stages across plantations. This will force farmers to harvest the crop in four to five rounds, increasing labour and cultivation costs,” Mr. Manoj said. Paddy cultivation hit Paddy cultivation has also been hit hard. With rainfall remaining below normal, many farmers have yet to begin transplanting seedlings. The delay has also affected the timely application of fertilisers, adding to concerns over lower productivity. C.K. Vishnudas, executive director of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, said Wayanad had traditionally experienced heavy monsoon rains and the associated risk of natural disasters during the southwest monsoon. “This year, however, the major challenge has been the significant shortfall in rainfall. The weakening of the Indian monsoon due to climate change and the influence of the El Niño phenomenon over the Pacific Ocean have been identified as the primary reasons for the severe rainfall deficit in the district,” said Mr. Vishnudas, adding that rainfall predictions for the coming weeks were also not encouraging.
The BriefWire