Kerala Farmers Worry: Fish Culture Extension Threatens Pokkali Rice Fields

Farm workers arrive in Kadamakudy, near Kochi, to prepare the field for pokkali farming. Just before the monsoon, the shrimp growing land is converted to pokkali cultivation.  Under the pretence of climate change, the attempt to extend the time period for fish and shrimp farming until 30 April will adversely impact rice growing in the pokkali fields, according to a statement published by rice farmers here after they raised their concerns in a petition.

According to the rice farmers, the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act 2008 requires paddy production in the pokkali fields to take place on a yearly basis between April 15 and November 14.

Only the remaining five months of the year are allowed for fish culture. If the cultivation cycle is followed, it will be possible to thoroughly drain the fields of salt water before ploughing. The first rains of the monsoon season totally washed away the salt content of the fields, which had formed into sowing mounds.

The lands are subsequently prepared for sowing pokkali seeds in accordance with the methodology established by Kerala Agricultural University.

According to the rice farmers, the success of rice growing is dependent on adhering to the crop calendar. The "fish lobby" has been campaigning that rice farming is financially unviable, and thus extending the time for fish growing in salt water fields is a success for the fish farmers.

Over the last three years, the term for fish growing in pokkali fields has been extended to 2020, 2021, and 2022. The rice production has failed in recent years. Rice growers Chandu Panjadiparambil, Phelomina Baby, Gasper Kalathingal, Sherly James, Lilly Joseph, M. C. Deepak, and M. C. Dileesh of Chellanam filed the plea with the Governor.