Tapioca farmers in the hill regions of Salem district are facing difficulties during the ongoing harvest season. Inadequate rainfall and dry soil have made it difficult to uproot the tubers, and farmers are concerned about reduced starch content and lower returns. The problem is mainly reported in the Kalvarayan Hills, Pachamalai and Karumandurai, where tapioca is predominantly rain-fed. Unlike tapioca cultivated in the plains, where the harvest season has not yet begun, hill-grown tapioca is generally harvested between June and August, with most of the crop harvested by July. Farmers said the lack of adequate rain during both cultivation and harvesting affected the crop and made it difficult to harvest it at the right time. Tapioca is an underground crop and requires adequate soil moisture.