BERHAMPUR: Unseasonal rain for the last three days has raised fears of crop loss among Ganjam farmers who were waiting for their harvested paddy to dry on farmlands before thrashing.
With the rain making the harvested crops wet, farmers apprehend that the grains may fall from the stem due to moisture at the time of lifting.
Subhasini Sahu, a farmer from Chhatrapur, said, “Earlier this year, farmers had to reel under shortage of irrigation water due to scanty rainfall. Despite the odds, we managed to raise the crop and were about to harvest it when untimely rain damaged the ripe paddy and shattered our hopes.”
Sahu appealed to the district administration for immediate intervention and said the government should come to the rescue of affected farmers.
Secretary of Rushikulya Rayat Mahasabha Simanchal Nahak claimed the rain has caused heavy damage to standing paddy crops in different parts of Ganjam. “Farmers across the district are likely to sustain crop loss due to the unseasonal rain which not only broke the paddy grains from plants but also discoloured them. As per the fixed quality norms of the government, this paddy would not be eligible for sale and the farmers fear that they may not get a fair price at the mandis,” he said.
Nahak appealed to the government to provide seeds for rabi cultivation free of cost to farmers of the district to compensate their loss due to untimely rains. He also urged the district administration to assess the crop loss and provide financial assistance to the affected farmers soon.
Contacted, district agriculture officials said they are yet to receive any complaint about crop loss due to the rain. “If we receive any such complaint, it will be placed before the appropriate authorities for consideration,” they added.
