BHUBANESWAR: Odisha stares at a possible drought-like situation as 23 out of 30 districts are, currently, experiencing deficient rainfall of more than 20 percent and moisture stress condition.
With the monsoon playing truant and low pressures in the Bay of Bengal, the last hope of the farmers to bring relief not triggering rains, kharif operation has come to a standstill in many parts of the State.
The average rainfall in July which was 21 percent less than the normal of 340 mm has further aggravated the situation in August.
The State has received an average rainfall of 51 mm till August 14 as against the normal rainfall of 150 mm, the deficit being 66 percent.
"Transplanting and broadcasting of paddy in rain-deficit areas have been held up due to water scarcity. The crop condition is getting worse due to growth of weed. If the condition persists for a few more days, it would be difficult to save the crops," said a senior officer of the Agriculture and Farmer Welfare department.
With the State experiencing drought like situation due to deficient rainfall of over 65 percent in August, the State government on Tuesday directed the department to prepare a contingency plan for saving kharif crops from the wrath of nature.
A joint meeting of Agriculture Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo and Cooperation Minister Ranandra Pratap Swain reviewed crop situation of the state at high level meeting.
They asked the Water Resources department to release water from reservoirs and the Lift Irrigation Corporation to operationalise all lift points in areas facing acute shortage of water for agricultural operations.
Field staff of Agriculture, Cooperation and Water Resources departments were asked to conduct joint survey in districts where rainfall is scanty and prepare contingency plan to save the crops from moisture stress condition.
The district collectors have been directed to take stock of the situation and prepare advance rabi plan for areas where possibility of saving kharif crops is remote.
Even as the Agriculture department advises farmers to be ready for rabi crops as per the contingency plan, many prefer to wait till mid September.
"Sowing rabi seeds at this point of time would not be wise. The seeds will fail to germinate if there will be rains in between," said an agronomist of the department.