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Paddy cultivation in Kuttanadu thomascombi doc
Paddy cultivation in Kuttanadu thomascombi doc

(v)
Sowing
Traditional varieties of seeds like Chembavu, Kochuvithu, Vellathil
Kolapala, Puncha Kolapala and Chennellu were sown in the study area in early days. The duration of these seeds varied from 100 to 120 days. Till recently most of the paddy farmers in Ramankari used to keep a portion of their produce in each season as seeds for the next season. Utmost care had been taken in the preparation as well as preservation of seeds. Usually the seeds were dried in sunlight for six consecutive days. In order to ensure uniform dryness the seeds spread on mats were stirred at regular intervals. On the seventh day the already dried seeds were once again exposed to sunlight fora short while for final drying and the final drying is called anathu. Finally the seeds are stored in baskets in moisture proof granaries until the next crop season. Very often the head worker, thalapulayan was in charge of seed preparation. Cleanliness ( sudhavruthi) was given prime importance during the whole process of seed preparation. Young women were not allowed to handle seeds and the man in charge of drying seeds was not allowed to leave the spot and interact with women till the prepared seeds are stored. Sowers were skilled workers who dispersed the seeds throughout the fields in an even manner. They were given piece rates that amounted to 3 kooliyans of paddy for sowing one basket of seed (I para = 30
kooliyans). After the introduction of the Package Programme in the study area, traditional and native varieties of seeds gave way to high yielding varieties like T-9,
MO-1, MO-2 and Thainan. By the eighties other seed varieties like Pavizham,
Thriveni, Kanchana, Mo, Jyothi and Bhadra had become popular in the study area.

At present nearly 85 percent of the paddy farmers in Ramankari village use Jyothi and others are using Uma in their fields. Over the past years the quality of sowing has considerably deteriorated due to the lack of skilled labourers.

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