Nuapada, July 5: With Nuapada district receiving less than normal rainfall this monsoon, the fear of seedling death (Gaja Marudi) has started gripping the famers.
Nuapada is a tribal-dominated district with 131 gram panchayats, three NACs and five blocks. Its population is over 6,00,000 and 80 per cent of them earn their livelihood from agriculture.
The farmers in the district generally start sowing paddy seeds from the first week of June. This year, buoyed by good rains in the last week of May and first week of June, the farmers felt encouraged and sowed seeds. While the seeds in the fields that had received rain water have started germinating, the seeds in the fields that are still waiting for rain water are yet to germinate.
Meanwhile, around two weeks have passed since it rained last in the district. Staring at a seedling death-like situation, the framers who are already under tremendous mental stress due to Covid-19 situation are in a fix.
At places, the paddy seedlings have started withering and at some other places, the fields have developed cracks. “We are at loss thinking about what to do in such a situation. We have already invested the money we had saved. Now we don’t have money to buy seeds. During this pandemic, we are not even getting enough works,” alleged some farmers.
Less than normal rain and the rain being elusive have left the farmers in a quandary. The district received 906.7mm rainfall by June end this year and this is 40 per cent less than the normal rainfall. Among the blocks, Nuapada block received 225.00mm rainfall, followed by Boden block (185.80mm), Komana block (183.10mm), Sinapali block (183.00mm) and Khariar block (129.80mm).
This year, out of 1,51,760 hectares of farmland, 87,600 hectares have been under paddy cultivation and 64,160 hectares have been set aside for non-paddy cultivation.
Referring to the fear of seedling death like situation, Birendra Pradhan, a Komana based farmer leader, said the district administration should take stock of the situation and announce ‘Gaja Marudi’.
Another farmer, Akhila Chandra Joshi of Tarapur area under Boden block said since they don’t have money to buy seeds, the government should consider the case and provide seeds to them.
Echoing the same, B Krishna Rao, a farmer from Khariar block alleged that undeclared power cuts have added to their woes. Due to frequent power cuts, the lift irrigation points are not working properly. In this situation, the government should consider providing each farmer solar pumps on subsidy.
Mentioning about the problems the farmers face such as distress sale, Arun Kumar Biswal, a social activist of Khariar area urged the government to take steps for the betterment of the farmers.
When contacted, Nuapada district agriculture officer Samarendra Chandra Behera admitted that the rainfall the district received by June end (906.7mm) is not enough for agriculture. “However, we are yet to receive any news from any of the districts regarding ‘seedling death’. Agricultural activities are underway in the district,” he said.
