With monsoon having done a vanishing act across the state, farmers in most parts of Bargarh district have lost their hopes for a good paddy harvest. Farmlands are dry while farm activities have come to a halt.
According to reports from Padmapur, farmers have completed sapling trans- plantation in some areas, but post transplantation work and other farm activities have not progressed as farm lands are dry since July
Given such condition, farmers of
Padmapur subdivision fear a possible drought in their areas. Their hopes of paddy harvest have been spoiled this kharif season.
According to reports, the amount of rainfall in June was 205.6 mm. But the farming work in June could not progress due to some problems, it was said. However, the amount of rainfall further came down in July
In August, the rainfall was miserably low leading to a possibility of drought. Farmers in these areas expressed con- cern over the scanty rainfall that has badly affected the farming activities
“We apprehend a possible spectre of
a drought with the monsoon almost doing a vanishing act. Telltale signs of drought are found at several places. Foo long time, farmlands have been left dry due to want of rain,” farmers said.
“Paddy saplings have started wilting in farmlands. The situation has wors ened in un-irrigated areas. Here, paddy cultivation solely depends on rains,” some farmers lamented.
At the current situation, saving paddy plants is a difficult task, they said. District agriculture officer Santosh Kumar Moharana said owing to poor rainfall, the farming situation in Padmapur has gone bad.
Source: Orissa Post
