Kharif cultivation in non-irrigated areas of Basudevpur block in the district has been seriously affected for lack of adequate rainfall in July and August.
While the block received 38 per cent and 29 per cent of normal rainfall in May and June respectively, it experienced 48 per cent less rainfall in July and there has been no rain in August.
The scanty rainfall had already delayed kharif cultivation and the situation has further worsened due to lack of rain now.
Farmers in Jagannathpur, Padhuan, Nuagan, Adhuan, Eram, Chudamani, Kumarpur, Atuans and Sudarsanpur villages in the block are the worst hit.
While in some villages, paddy cultivation has not started yet, saplings have dried up in other areas where transplantation was already completed.
“Over 5000 hectares (ha) are lying barren due to scanty and sporadic rainfall and this has become a regular occurrence for the last two years. Paddy cultivation, which is our only source of income in this area, has gone for a toss,” said Brunadabana Panda, a farmer of Padhuan.
Sources in the District Agriculture Office said of the total 34,400 ha of cultivated land, only 15,371 ha get irrigation water in the block. This season, there is a target to cultivate paddy in 32,835 ha.
Although cultivation in irrigated areas is on in full swing, that in low-lying non-irrigated areas has been delayed. But farmers in non-irrigated pockets of highland are suffering due to abnormal rain.
Assistant Agriculture Officer Laksmidhara Sahoo said Basudevpur normally receives 244 mm rainfall in June, but there was just 141 mm in June this year.
Similarly, of 431 mm total rainfall the block has experienced, only 121 mm was received in July and there was no rain in August.
