Kaptipada: Though farmers in Mayurbhanj district were excited over the timely arrival of monsoon in the state this year and began farming activities, erratic rainfall over the last few days has dashed their hopes, a report said.
The farmers have now pinned up all their hope on low pressure triggered rains undermining the forecast of the met department, it was learnt.
“Though we witness a cloudy sky almost every day, absence of rain has triggered panic among us,” said a farmer Rameswar Biswal. The farmers who had sowed seeds on uplands during Akhaya Trutiya fear a drought like situation in the absence of adequate water, he added.
There is no option but to wait endlessly and delay the process of cultivation, another farmer Prasanna Biswal said.
According to reports, the year 2014 recorded 159 mm rain in May, 89 mm in June and 594 mm in July, while 2015 received 75 mm, 270 mm and 363 mm of rain during these three months.
Similarly, May, June and July in 2016 received 117 mm, 304 mm and 380 mm of rain. However, the poor rainfall at the beginning of monsoon season this year has shattered the hopes of farmers as the block received mere 260 mm of rain till June end, it was learnt.
Farm animals can be seen grazing in most of the paddy fields of the block.
When contacted, Parameswar Jena, an agriculture officer of Shalachua said it is too early to raise an alarm over the situation. However, the poor rainfall has affected the farming activities, he admitted.
On the other hand, many farmers in this block were found upset as the region was not declared drought-hit two years ago even as most of the farmers suffered crop loss at that time. Though they lodged complaints with the authorities concerned over the issue, they didn’t yield any result.
Meanwhile, farmers have already sowed seeds in 25 per cent of farmlands of the block while arrangements have been made to supply about 927 quintals of paddy seeds among the farmers through Shalachua, Jamudiha and Kaptipada LAMPS, agriculture department sources said. PNN
