KENDRAPARA: Weak monsoon has not only adversely affected crops in the coastal districts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur but also the water availability in the rivers that feed the irrigation canals.
Lack of rainfall has started showing its impact on the kharif crop in the two districts. ‘’The non-irrigated lands in both the districts have been badly affected resulting in more than 50 per cent loss of kharif crop,’’ said Gayadhar Dhal, secretary of Kendrapara District Krusak Sabha.
Kendrapara district has recorded 69 per cent deficit rainfall in August. In August 2006 the district received 5111.3 mm rain, in the same time in 2007 the district got 3947 mm rain while in August 2008 the district recorded 2276 mm rain. But this August the district received only 1591 mm rain.
‘’The initial growth of the kharif crop has been hindered as August is the time for growth of plants,” said Dhal. Farmers of Kendrapara district raised paddy on 16,00,25 hectares out of 16,99,81 hectares of cultivable land. ‘’The saplings for transplantation have also been wilted due to non-availability of water,’’ said Ramesh Dhal, a farmer of village Nimapur.
The scene is same in other areas of the district too with the farmers witnessing 45 per cent crop loss. According to some farmers, deficient rains have led to depleted fodder for cattle. In Kendrapara, Pattamundai and Marsaghai, the century-old canals have gone dry.
‘’Patkura, Garadapur, Mahakalapada, Rajnagar areas of Kendrapara district and Erasama, Kujang and Balikuda areas in Jagatsinghpur districts have witnessed damage not only to paddy crop but also to vegetables,” said Parikhita Sahoo, a farmer of Patkura. The vegetable-producing belts of Ramnagar, Dasamouji, Kujang, Erasama and other areas have recorded decline in vegetable production.
“We would have to overdraw groundwater to compensate for deficient rainfall. This would mean prolonged running of pumps which are relatively expensive and would push up production costs while seriously restricting farmers’ incomes,” said Madhab Das, a farmer of Gandakhia.
Last year, large numbers of farmers of the two districts suffered huge crop loss due to devastating flood. This year they hoped to make up for the loss, but the delayed and weak monsoon put paid to their hopes. ‘’We invested more money this year to purchase paddy and other seeds. But due to shortage of water in the agricultural fields, paddy saplings are dying,’’ said Raghu Sahoo, a farmer of Sanamanga village.
