Abstract

                                In Madras State, Malabar is one of the deficient districts in rice production, even though the total area under paddy in Malabar is fairly high. Malabar records a total production of 3 17 lakhs tons from an area of 8:45 lakhs acres which compares very unfavourably with the production of 85 lakhs tons from a cultivated area of 13-38 lakhs acres in Tanjore district. On this basis Tanjore records a mean acre yield of 1400 lb. per acre while in Malabar the average yield works out only to 900 lb. per acre (Natarajan 1941). This situation therefore calls for consideration of the ways and means to augment the production of rice in this district.

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