KENDRAPARA: Torrential rains for the last four days due to cyclone Titli have severely damaged crops on large tracts of paddy fields across the coastal pockets of the district besides causing waterlogging woes for people.
Paddy crops on vast areas have been damaged due to the rains in Rajnagar, Aul, Rajkanika, Derabishi, Marsaghai, Mahakalapada and Pattamundai blocks, said secretary of the district unit of Krushak Sabha Gayadhar Dhal.
Several complaints of crop damage have been pouring in from many villages across the district. Subash Behera, a farmer of Marsaghai, said, “We were preparing to harvest autumn (Biali) paddy crops within two weeks. But the incessant rains have damaged our crops.”
Some farmers who harvested paddy crops hurriedly fearing imminent rain tried their best to store the produce in their houses. “I harvested paddy over one acre of land five days back. But due to unavailability of workers amid rains, I could not harvest paddy on another three acres. Now, the crops have been damaged,” said Binayak Das of Patkura.
Similar is the story of Giridhari Biswal, a farmer of Pattamundai. “All my crops have been destroyed. What troubles me now is the thought of repaying the bank loan I had availed to cultivate paddy,” he said.
Moreover, paddy saplings have also been damaged by the rains. The washing away of standing paddy crops has already dealt a severe blow to farmers. Now if rainwater is not drained out from farmlands soon, it would cause more losses to the farmers.
“If the paddy saplings remain under water for two to three days, they will rot,” said Sarat Sahoo, a farmer of Aul.Sources said the rains have also damaged vegetable crops in the district. Farmers are still trying to measure the extent of damage to their crops.
Contacted, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Kendrapara, Mitrodoya Das said all the block agriculture officers have been directed to submit a detailed report about crop loss. “After getting the report, we will assist farmers who have suffered crop loss,” he added.