JAGATSINGHPUR: Weakening of cyclone Asani may have come as a huge relief but forecast of heavy rains in the next two days under its influence has fuelled panic of crop damage among farmers in Jagatsinghpur district.Sources say, there are nearly 40,000 farmers in the district who have grown paddy besides black and green gram this season. They fear the untimely rains can impact their cultivation like last year.
In September 2021, over 33,000 hectare (ha) paddy crops got destroyed due water stagnation in fields after heavy downpour. Two months later, again nearly 40,000 hectare (ha) standing paddy crops were damaged due to waterlogging in all eight blocks. However, nearly 75 per cent of affected farmers allege they have not received compensation for the crop damage.
Even when farmers decided to sell the kharif crop which had survived the rains, delay in lifting paddy due to alleged negligence of administration led to lapse of nearly 8,000 tokens and 3 lakh quintal paddy remained unsold.In March this year, farmers had staged dharna in front of the Collector’s office but none of their demands was addressed.
“I have cultivated green gram on 3 acre land but the crop is not ready for harvesting and will be completely damaged if there’s heavy rainfall. Earlier, I could not sell my paddy as my token lapsed,” sighed farmer Ratanakar Nayak of Makhi village.
Chief district agriculture officer Rajkishore Das admitted that heavy rainfall would affect green gram and paddy crops. “We advised them for harvesting before rainfall. But since the crops have not ripened and harvesting could not be done, there is every likelihood rains might affect nearly 800 ha of paddy,” he said.