BERHAMPUR: With monsoon playing hide and seek, farmers of Ganjam district are worried a lot. Most of the farmers have failed to take up farm work due to lack of water in the agriculture fields.
As per reports, the district has received only 56 mm rainfall against normal of 168 mm in June while it was 238.01 mm rainfall last year.
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Against average rainfall of 220.8 mm in July, the district has recorded 46 mm till date affecting the sowing of kharif crops.
While farmers have completed sowing on about 10,000 hectare (ha), paddy transplantation work has been taken up in 38,210 ha. Similarly, another 7000 ha is waiting for rains for paddy sowing.
This year, the district administration has fixed a target to cover 2.6 lakh ha under paddy cultivation.
While June and July are the two crucial months for kharif paddy cultivation, a dry spell has delayed the farm work in the district.
Even scorching heat in the last three days has dried up paddy seedlings in Chikiti, Kabisuryanagar, Khallikote, Sanakhemundi and Beguniapada blocks, posing a serious problem for the farmers.
Sources said most of the cultivable lands in the district are rain-fed due to inadequate irrigation coverage.
The district depends on Rushikulya river for large irrigation, Ghodahada, Bhanjanagar Daha and Baghalati reservoirs for medium irrigation and it has 1,092 lift irrigation (LI) points.
Medium irrigation projects usually release water through canals during third week of July. Deputy Director of Agriculture Manoj Kumar Behera said, “We are monitoring the situation.
We are hopeful that the rains will cover the shortfall. If rain continues to elude for more days, the situation would be critical.”