BALANGIR/NUAPADA:Even growers of cash crops, cotton in particular, have fallen victim to vagaries of nature. Like paddy farmers, cotton growers have been hit by lack of sufficient irrigation water.
The suicide by cotton farmer Gurubaru Sahu (35) of Jamjuri village in Patnagarh sub-division of Balangir district earlier this month has exposed the threat that the cash crop holds out to its growers this season.
With BT cotton offering greater profit and requiring less water, many farmers in water-parched areas in the districts of Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Bargarh switched over to growing cotton. This season, though, the yield will be less due to moisture-stress condition. Even Agriculture Department officials, who were hoping for good yield till a few months ago, are now pessimistic about the yield.
According to reports, Patnagarh Agriculture division comprising blocks of Patnagarh, Belpara and Khaprakhol had targeted to grow cotton over 22,500 hectares (ha) of land. Apparently, all of these blocks are water-stressed.
Cotton was grown over 18,259 ha against 22,800 ha in the last kharif season. Cotton coverage in Patnagarh block was 5783 ha while it was 6,631 ha in Belpara block and 5,845 in Khaprakhol block. Normally, cotton yield touches 10 quintals per acre, but officials said it will be reduced to two to 2.5 quintals per acre this time.
In Nuapada block, a target was set to cultivate cotton over 5,000 hectares but the crop was grown over 5,278 hectares. It was grown over 700 ha in Nuapada, 2.750 ha in Komna, 810 ha in Boden, 868 in Khariar and 150 ha in Sinapali block.
All these blocks are devoid of permanent irrigation system except in a few small pockets. Deficit rainfall over the last few months has reduced the soil moisture, thereby affecting the cotton crop.
Bikram Biswal of Icchapur village in Komna block of the district said he had cultivated cotton over 14 acres which had yielded 120 quintals of cotton last season. Although he has grown the cotton over the same area this season, he expects only 40 quintals. Similarly, Pandaba Ketki of the village had grown cotton over three acres of land and had harvested 22 quintals of cotton. However, this season he expects to harvest just seven quintals even though he has grown cotton over the same land area.
Deputy Director of Agriculture, Nuapada, Antaryami Mandal said scanty rainfall is having a bearing on the bursting of the cotton bulbs which in turn, is affecting the yield. He admitted the condition would cut down on the harvesting by 20 to 25 per cent.