Kanyakumari farmers seek aid as wild rice weed spreads

Farmers in the Thovalai taluk of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, are facing significant challenges due to the spread of a 'wild rice' weed. The infestation has expanded across large agricultural areas, affecting approximately 150 acres out of 500 acres in the Chembagarmanputhur region.

The weed is particularly difficult to manage because, in its early growth stages, it closely resembles actual paddy varieties such as Ambai-16, TPS-5, and Ambai-21. This similarity makes identification and manual removal difficult, requiring extra labor and increasing overall production costs.

The Chembagarmanputhur Farmers Association has appealed to the state government and the agriculture department for immediate intervention to control the weed and prevent it from spreading to unaffected fields in future seasons.