JAGATSINGHPUR: The receding floodwaters have exposed widespread damage to vegetable crops across several blocks in Jagatsinghpur district, leaving farmers with heavy financial losses.
The worst-hit blocks are Kujang, Raghunathpur, Biridi and Naugaon. In Kujang, vegetable cultivation in Saradhia, Haripur, Zillanasi, Hansura and several other villages has suffered extensive damage.
The floods have destroyed crops including bitter gourd, ridge gourd, okra, leafy vegetables, pointed gourd, brinjal and spinach. Farmers who supplied vegetables to markets in Kujang, Paradip, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Kendrapara have suffered severe financial losses.
A similar situation prevails in Uttarsasan, Balia, Madhyasasan and other villages under Biridi block, where farmers had cultivated vegetables on Devi riverbed near Daleighai.
Farmers in Raghunathpur, who cultivated vegetables along the banks of Mahanadi river, have also reported extensive losses. Continuous rainfall followed by flooding inundated large stretches of farmland, damaging the crops.
Sources said the extensive crop damage has pushed hundreds of farmers into financial distress, who are now struggling to repay their debts. The affected farmers alleged that despite the large-scale losses, they have not received compensation, vegetable seeds or fertilisers from the government.
Pradipta Swain, a farmer from Saradhia village, said his crops in nearly two acres of farmland were submerged by floodwaters. “I had borrowed `1.5 lakh from a private lender to cultivate vegetables. After losing my crops, it has become extremely difficult to repay the loan. If I do not receive compensation, I will be in serious financial trouble,” he said.
The sharp decline in local production has also triggered a steep rise in vegetable prices, increasing the burden on consumers.
Assistant director of Horticulture Anil Kumar Sethi said field staff have been directed to conduct a detailed assessment of crop loss across the district. “The damage assessment will be completed within three to four days, following which a report will be submitted to the government so that appropriate assistance can be provided to the flood-affected farmers,” he said.