Paddy farmers in Chenbagaramanputhoor, Thovalai taluk, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, are battling a fast-spreading wild rice weed infestation that has already engulfed an estimated 150 acres of the village's roughly 500 acres of cultivated paddy land. The Chenbagaramanputhoor Farmers Association has urged the state government and the Agriculture Department to intervene immediately before the weed overruns currently unaffected fields.

Scale of the Infestation

The weed, commonly known as weedy rice, was first observed in the area approximately four years ago but has expanded sharply over recent seasons. During the ongoing Kanni Poo paddy season, farmers cultivating varieties such as Ambai-16, TPS-5, and Ambai-21 have reported the worst spread yet, particularly in transplanted fields. Fields along both sides of the main road through the village — irrigated largely by the Thovalai channel — are among the most affected.

Why Wild Rice Is Especially Difficult to Control

Unlike conventional weeds, wild rice closely mimics cultivated paddy in its early growth stages, making visual identification and timely removal considerably harder. Once established, it competes aggressively with the crop for nutrients, water, and space, directly suppressing yields. Seeds shed before harvest can persist in the soil, fuelling recurring infestations in subsequent seasons and making eradication progressively more difficult.

Rising Costs for Already Stretched Farmers

The infestation has pushed up cultivation expenses significantly. Farmers must deploy additional labour solely to identify and manually uproot the weed — a labour-intensive process at a time when agricultural wages and farm input costs have already risen sharply. The dual pressure of higher costs and lower productivity is straining household incomes across affected holdings.

What Farmers Are Demanding

The Chenbagaramanputhoor Farmers Association has called on agriculture officials to conduct field inspections, trace the source of the infestation, and recommend scientifically validated control measures. Farmers have also sought coordinated, village-wide intervention — including technical guidance — to prevent cross-contamination of healthy fields during future cultivation seasons. Without such action, they warn, the infestation could spread well beyond its current 150-acre footprint.

What Happens Next

If the state government and Agriculture Department respond with targeted support, early containment remains feasible given that roughly 70% of Chenbagaramanputhoor's paddy area is still unaffected. Inaction, however, risks a geometric expansion of the problem as harvested seeds re-enter the soil. Agricultural experts note that weedy rice management typically requires a combination of crop rotation, certified seed use, and, in severe cases, selective herbicide application — all of which require official coordination and funding support that farmers say they currently lack.