ROURKELA: Last week’s rain and hailstorm has had a devastating effect on horticulture crops over vast swathes of farmland in Chitapedi gram panchayat (GP) of Nuagaon block and several other blocks of Sundargarh district.
The hailstorm, which lashed the district on Friday for hardly 30-40 minute, has undone the months of labour of horticulture farmers who are already reeling under the pain of lockdown with low demand and distressed prices.
Horticulture farmer Samra Oram (42) of Gainjor village said the inclement weather has left him worried. “My ready-to-harvest watermelon and pumpkin crops have been damaged beyond recovery, while brinjal plants were also affected. Just before the lockdown, my tomato crops over two acre had been badly damaged in a hailstorm. All my efforts to make up the loss from watermelon, pumpkin and brinjal crops have also gone in vain,” he rued.
Oram said he had taken Rs 1.10 lakh loan from a cooperative society and another personal agriculture loan of Rs 1 lakh. With his crops getting affected due to bad weather, he is clueless about how to repay his debts.
Additional Director of Horticulture, Panposh T Pani said watermelon, pumpkin, brinjal, lady’s finger, cucumber, banana, green chilly, tomato, cowpea and other vegetable crops have suffered massive damage in the recent hailstorm in the Chitapedi.
Sources said vegetable crop loss has been reported from Chitapdei’s Luaram, Kadalka, Katepur, Gainjor, Paniasal and Godburu villages and 15 other hamlets of Sorda, Badjoja, Urmei, Barilepta and Bagdega GPs.
In-Charge Deputy Director of Horticulture, Sundargarh Dayanidhi Rout said standing crops over about 450 hectare in Nuagaon, Lefripara, Tangarpali, Sadar, Subdega, Balishankara, Bargaon, Lahunipara and Gurundia have been affected. Besides, a few other pockets also suffered 50 per cent to 70 per cent crop damage. A preliminary report in this regard has been submitted to the Government, he added.