ROURKELA: Paddy farming activities have picked up pace in Sundargarh following heavy rainfall since the past several days. The district had witnessed scanty rainfall during June and the initial phase of July.The low-pressure induced rainfall over the past three days from Tuesday has given a massive boost to farming activities.
With adequate water available on farm fields, paddy transplanting operations are going on in full swing. Owing to the present saturated soil condition, there won’t be any problem for the next fortnight even in the event of a dry spell.
Of the 2.21 lakh hectare (ha) land programmed for paddy cultivation in Sundargarh by August 2, around 1.02 lakh ha been covered with 22,000 ha covered under broadcasting method and remaining under transplanting method. Sources further informed that the remaining 92,000 ha would be covered within the next fortnight.
Chief district agriculture officer (CDAO), Sundargarh, JB Mohapatra said paddy farming during the ongoing kharif season were delayed but has now picked up momentum and remaining areas would be covered within the next 14 days.
Referring to the erratic monsoon pattern including deficit and excessive rainfall with faulty distribution in recent years, a senior agriculture officer said the kharif season gets saved with six to seven spells of low-pressure induced rainfall and this season seems no exception.
“Though monsoon arrived late, heavy rainfall during the end of June ended the initial worry of farmers and then the low-pressure induced rain from July 6 which lasted for four days, gave the situation a boost. On July 16 and 17, most of the 17 blocks received adequate rainfall followed by moderate rain on July 22,” he added.
He further pointed that the subsequent low-pressure spells from July 28 to 30 and then again from August 1 to 3 came as a boon for paddy farmers as some of them in desperation had taken the risk of transplanting even without adequate water.
Sources said against heavy rainfall in short spans, the land patten of Sundargarh is helpful to some extent as accumulation of excessive water on farmlands does not normally last to affect plants or crops.Of the total 3.13 lakh farmland, the highland accounts for a whopping 1,63,000 ha followed by medium and lowland at 95,000 ha and 55,000 ha respectively. Around 62,000 ha of highland and the entire medium and lowland are getting used for paddy cultivation.