BHUBANESWAR: As the State’s coastal stretch is bracing up for possible cyclonic weather condition with the system brewing up in the Bay of Bengal and putting Kharif crops at risk, the Government has issued crop-wise advisory for farmers.
Paddy being the principal Kharif crop covering two-thirds of total cropped area and standing crops (medium and long duration) at maturity and grain filling stage, the farmers have been advised to harvest the medium duration crops before the arrival of cyclone-induced rains.
Since the Met department has predicted that the system over Bay of Bengal is likely to cross Odisha coast between November 8 and 10, there is higher possibility of crop damage due to flooding of crop fields. “Majority of low and medium land are under paddy cultivation in Kharif season, making farmers susceptible to crop loss in case of flooding. Sometimes land preparation for rabi crops is delayed due to high moisture content which provides congenial conditions for harmful soil microbes to grow,” sources in Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) said.
In conditions of gusty wind and heavy downpour, a little delay in harvesting paddy crops, which is not possible in wetlands, will lead to the germination of grains, pest attack and grain discolouration. The advisory prepared by OUAT asked farmers to drain out rainwater from the field as soon as the weather improves. Standing water in the field will damage winter vegetables and non-paddy crops like oilseeds and pulses grown in upland, sources maintained.
“Drain out excess water by making alleys at 5-10 ft distance in the lodged crop and take up stalking of plants at grain filling stage,” the advisory read. Since groundnuts and sesame are in the maturity stage, both crops are highly sensitive to water lodging. The farmers, who grow these crops, have been asked to drain out excess water and spray pesticides if they find brown/black spots on leaves.
As the farmers are readying for the sowing of rabi crops after paddy harvest, they have been advised to wait till the system crosses the State.
Cotton growing farmers have been advised to go for early harvest as the possibility of crop damage is high due to the cyclonic rains.