BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister-cum-Agriculture minister KV Singh Deo has directed all district collectors to submit reports of crop loss in the aftermath of cyclone Montha, by Thursday evening.
As per immediate post-cyclonic measures, district agriculture officers have been instructed to go on field visits and assess the crop damage. They will be assisted by field staff of the Revenue and Disaster Management department.
Sources said excess rainfall under the impact of the cyclonic storm has resulted in paddy crop lodging (bending over of the plant stalks, making harvesting difficult and increasing crop loss) in most of the southern districts with Gajapati and Ganjam the worst affected.
“The extent of damage to crops will be known only after reports from the districts arrive. As the paddy crops are in the ripening stage, the damage is likely to be less but productivity will be hampered in case of prolonged lodging,” Singh Deo said.
He, however, assured no affected farmer will be left out from the crop loss assessment process. “Around 14.17 lakh hectare of cropland in the state has been insured. Farmers who have registered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) are advised to apply for crop insurance on the NCIP portal, or call the toll-free number 14447 or contact the WhatsApp chatbot number 7065514447 for assistance,” he added.
Speaking to TNIE, Krushna Chandra Panigrahi, a farmer of Gajapati district said paddy crops in his district are in flowering stage and the recent spells of rains will hit the production. He, however, said the overall crop condition is good. Another farmer Sadananda Pradhan of Ganjam district said the cyclonic storm has had little impact on the crop. “Once the rainwater from the crop fields recede, there will be no harm to the standing crops,” he added.