ROURKELA: Notwithstanding delayed monsoon with deficit rainfall in June and July, the overall condition of paddy and non-paddy crops over 3.13 lakh hectare (ha) of land in the district seems to have improved.
Revival of monsoon in August, which extended beyond September, has brought cheers to farmers in the district.
Following deficit and erratic rainfall in June and July, inter-culture operations under paddy broadcasting method over 1,32,949 ha was delayed by at least a month amid fear that weed growth on the affected areas would lead to crop damage.
Similarly, paddy transplantation operation over 47,864 ha was also delayed by a month. But, surplus rainfall in August at 448 mm against the month’s normal average rainfall of 393.9 mm changed the scenario.
In September too, the majority of the 17 blocks in the district received surplus rainfall. The district received 313 mm rainfall in September against the normal average of 211 mm for the month.
While Koida and Bisra blocks received deficit rainfall between 164 mm and 188 mm, 10 other blocks received between 256 mm and 389 mm.
Hemgir and Sundargarh blocks received surplus rainfall at 495 mm and 512 mm respectively.
Lefripara, Tangarpali and Balishankara blocks received 400 mm rainfall or more.
Sundargarh Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) R N Satpathy said delay in preliminary paddy farming operations was made up with late revival of monsoon.
He said at some places, paddy crop cutting on upland has already started while crop cutting on low and medium land is likely to start from end of November.
The DDA said non-paddy crops are also in good shape, adding that crops like ‘ragi’ and ‘arhar’ have shown good growth.
He said about 2,000 quintals of surplus ‘arhar’ and similar amount of ‘ragi’ would be procured from farmers through various Government cooperative agencies.