Kosal Discussion and Development Forum

Paddy crop to suffer if Balangir doesn’t receive enough rain: farmers of Balangir district are worried

July 23, 2010 at 8:44 am sanjibkarmee Leave a comment

Following is a report from The Pioneer (reported by Sudhir Mishra):

Hundreds of farmers of Balangir district and elsewhere in the State are a worried lot as Monsoon rain plays hide-and-seek with them, bringing agricultural operations of paddy and other crops to a virtual grinding halt.

Balangir district recorded an alarming 67 per cent deficient rainfall in June, receiving only 69 mm rainfall against the normal 217mm. However, in July, although the rainfall is so far 220 mm, it is much behind the average 338 mm for the month.

If one goes by the average rainfall, it would not give a clear picture. The weekly rainfall received and its analysis is most important. In the first week of July, the district got 66 mm of rainfall and in the next week 125 mm. However, in the third week, only 22 mm of rainfall was recorded.

Transplanting and Beushaning operations of paddy crop have been withheld due to the absence of the required rain. Unless there is rainfall within next seven days, there would be moisture stress of paddy field and subsequent wilting of the plants, explained an official here.

Kharif paddy was targeted to be taken up in 1,88,300 hectares in the district, while cultivation has been undertaken in 1,08,000 hectares. Unless there is adequate rainfall within next seven days, the situation could be worse, pointed out president of Zila Krushak Mahasangha Sudhir Parischha

However, in this backdrop, cultivation of non-paddy crops like cotton, maize, groundnut and pulses have been taken up in 68,000 hectares.

Entry filed under: Agriculture, Agriculture and Irrigation, Balangir, Floods and Droughts, Natural and Man-Made Disasters, Paddy, Region watch.