Key Facts

The Cauvery delta grows paddy in three seasons: kuruvai (June-September), the long samba crop (August-January), and thaladi after kuruvai. In direct sowing, seed goes straight into the field instead of being transplanted from a nursery, which saves water. Delta farmers raised samba-thaladi paddy on about 3.62 lakh hectares this year, nearly half of it direct sown; across the state, direct sowing rose to about 57% of paddy area from 39% a year ago, while paddy in non-delta areas is about 1.3 lakh hectares less than usual. Tamil Nadu produced 77.5 lakh tonnes of rice in 2025-26, against a high of 79.07 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.

GK Context

Direct seeding of rice (DSR) eliminates the water-intensive nursery and transplanting stages of traditional paddy cultivation, reducing water use by 15-20% and labour costs, though it requires effective weed management. The technique has been promoted in states facing groundwater stress, including Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery delta, covering districts like Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, is traditionally called the 'rice bowl of Tamil Nadu' due to its dependence on Cauvery irrigation across the three cropping seasons.