DHENKANAL: Nightmares of deficit rainfall amidst the prevailing pandemic are over for farmers in Dhenkanal. The incessant rainfall which lashed the district on Wednesday brought cheer and renewed hopes for the kharif season which had taken a backseat till now.
With rainfall less than normal and irrigation falling short, paddy and non-paddy growers were anticipating a drought-like situation. As per official sources, July received 137 mm of rainfall against the normal of 312.9 mm. However, the last 24 hours recorded 137 mm and farmers in all eight blocks rejoiced and expedited crop activities. Gondia block received 165 mm - the highest among all. “This time, the rains came late. But after today’s downpour, we can hope of a good harvest,” a farmer said.
In Dhenkanal, paddy is grown across 95,000 hectare (ha). The district agriculture office also claimed that transplantation and sowing has already been completed in nearly 72,000 ha.
Farmers usually grow 15 to 20 varieties of paddy like swarna, kalachampa, CR-1009 and several others including black rice. But they were a distressed lot as along with scant rainfall, fertilisers were in short supply. The district had received only 2,000 tonne against requirement of 4,000 tonne, albeit with adequate urea.
Chief district agriculture officer RK Nayak informed that agricultural activities have resumed in all eight blocks after Wednesday’s downpour. “Farmers are hopeful and have stepped up activities for the season. Thankfully, rainfall has been equally distributed in all blocks,” he said.