In Odisha, fresh rains add to farmers’ woes

Farmers in several areas who were seen struggling to drain out rainwater from the cultivated areas since December 6, are now worried owing to the fresh rain.

Standing crops on 1,06,645 ha were inundated due to heavy rains that lashed the district under the influence of the cyclone from December 3 to December 5. (Photo | Express)

CUTTACK: Fresh rains on Thursday, December 9, 2021, added to the woes of farmers whose paddy crops were submerged due to the cyclone Jawad-induced downpour.

Of the total 1,33,645 hectare (ha) of land brought under paddy cultivation during the current kharif season, crops in only 27,000 ha have been harvested. Standing crops on 1,06,645 ha were inundated due to heavy rains that lashed the district under the influence of the cyclone from December 3 to December 5.

Farmers in several areas who were seen struggling to drain out rainwater from the cultivated areas since December 6, are now worried owing to the fresh rain. “I had tried to release the stagnant storm water from my paddy field by digging a narrow channel with the hope to recover some crops. But the fresh rain submerged my paddy field again on Thursday,” said Deepak Samal, a farmer of Nischintakoili. 
All the standing paddy crops which are in the harvesting stage have been damaged.