Jajpur: Farmers in Jajpur district are in a state of shock after 90 per cent of their paddy and vegetable crops withered as the district recorded 43 per cent less rainfall in the month of September than the previous year.
The worst affected are the farmers in non-irrigated regions of the district. The cultivators in these regions solely depend on rainfall in September to raise their crops when paddy and vegetable crops need water for their growth.
Lack of rainfall coupled with heat wave and humidity have wrought heavy damage to paddy and vegetable crops. The withering of paddy crops in Banpur and Routra villages in Chandramu panchayat of Binjharpur block is a case in point.
Farmers are clueless on how to tackle the situation as the state government is yet to take any steps to provide relief to them. They are wondering as to how to pay back the loans they had borrowed from various sources for agricultural purposes.
Sources said this year a rainfall deficit of 21 per cent was recorded in June, 35 per cent in July and 27 per cent in August. Similarly a rainfall of 135.67 mm was recorded in September, which generally receives around 238 mm rainfall.
Binjharpur experienced a rainfall of 57.70mm, Korei 56.80 mm, Rasulpur 72 mm and Dharmasala 81 mm.
The district experienced a rainfall of 14 mm within the last two days but that too has failed to rev up their dampen sprit as farmers termed the rainfall as too late.
They have lost all hope of recovery with the agriculture and horticulture officials yet to visit the spot and take stock of the situation.
Sources said vegetables have been cultivated in more than 20,000 hectare of farmlands in Jajpur, Bari, Rasulpur, Dharmasala, Korei and Sukinda blocks.
Farmers have alleged that the officials who are sitting in the comforts of their office prepare reports to submit to the government without visiting their farmland.
This has come at a time when the state government has categorically asked the officials to visit rural areas and prepare reports on the basis of field visits.
The apathetic attitude of the officials has affected farmers a lot as they have been deprived of financial and other assistances from the state and Centre governments.
Farmers Rabindra Behera, Bijay Parida, Manas Behera and Silu Mohanty have alleged that over 90 per cent of their vegetable cultivation has been damaged due to the lack of rainfall.
When contacted Bimalkanti Raptan, district agriculture officer, said the block agriculture officials are preparing the reports which will be submitted to the state government by October 10. PNN