Tamil Nadu election 2026: Pattukottai constituency’s coconut farmers yet to recover from ravages of 2018 Cyclone Gaja

The Pattukottai Assembly Constituency is known as the coconut belt of the Cauvery delta region. Paddy cultivation once flourished in the area but gradually gave way to coconut cultivation due to the prolonged Cauvery water dispute and neglect of several water bodies. The Grand Anicut Canal served as the lifeline for irrigation, but uncertainty over water release affected agriculture, prompting farmers to turn to coconut-growing.