BHUBANESWAR: Deficit rainfall even after three weeks of monsoon onset has cast a dark shadow on agricultural prospects in the state with kharif area coverage shrinking drastically by around 63 per cent (pc) till the second week of July.
With 14 districts experiencing severe moisture stress conditions thanks to rain shortfall ranging from 44 pc to 65 per cent, a meagre 1.759 lakh hectares have been covered under kharif cultivation as of July 7 against 4.781 lakh hectares during the same period last year. This is 3.02 lakh hectares less than last year and an astounding 7.576 lakh hectares (81 pc) lower than in 2021.
Under the Kharif Campaign 2023, the state government has targeted to cover 35 lakh hectares for paddy cultivation while 61.80 lakh hectares have been programmed for other Kharif crops. The crop coverage report provided by the state government to the Centre has revealed that paddy has been sown in only 1.089 lakh hectares as against 3.242 lakh hectares covered by the first week of July 2022. In 2021, 5.83 lakh hectares were covered under paddy crops during this period.
“The situation is grave in 228 out of 314 blocks of the state where the rainfall deficit is up to 59 pc. While 89 blocks are reeling under deficient rainfall of 39-59 per cent, 70 blocks are heading for severe crop damage as rainfall `is more than 59 pc deficient,” said an agronomist of the state Agriculture department.
Kalahandi district, the third largest rice-producing district after Bargarh and Sambalpur, is the worst affected with 10 out of its 13 blocks receiving cumulative rainfall of 123.8 mm from June 1 to July 10 which is 66 pc less than the normal.
The acutely affected blocks are Lanjigarh, Dharamgarh, Kegaon, Junagah, Madanpur Rampur, Golamunda, Narla, Koksara, Kalampur and Karlamunda, officials said. Kharif operations were also badly hit in Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal and Kendrapara districts with 55 pc deficient rainfall. Pattamundai, Derabish, Garadpur, Marsaghai and Mahakalpara blocks of Kendrapara and Raikia, Nuagaon, Phiringia, Baliguda and Chakapada blocks of Kandhamal are heading for massive crop loss.
The other affected districts are Puri and Nabarangpur (54 pc deficit); Ganjam and Rayagada (53 pc) and Khurda (52 pc); Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatsingpur, Balasore and Balangir with 48 pc less rainfall.
While the distressed farmers are looking to the government for some contingency measures, the Agriculture department has not been forthcoming. The department is not sharing the crop condition report owing to the fear that it will create panic among farmers, sources said.