Sambalpur: Even as massive paddy crop was damaged by the recent unseasonal rains in some pockets of Sambalpur, drought has loomed large in some other areas due to erratic rainfall. Crop was damaged in 30,000 hectares in the district, a report said.
Insufficient rain has played havoc with paddy crop in thousands of hectares of land in non-irrigated areas. According to a preliminary report of the agriculture department, 30,000 hectares were affected by drought in the district. Farmers were distressed on seeing the damage.
Farmers said when the final report will arrive, the extent of damage could be more than that had been shown now.
Block affected ha
Jamankira 10,557
Bamara 8,731
Kuchinda 5520
Rengali 4,524
Maneswar 1,809
Jujumara 56
Officials of the revenue and agriculture departments have been assessing the crop damage in the drought-hit areas. On the other hand, farmers have been staging protests, demanding input subsidy and crop insurance that they were entitled to get for last year’s crop damage.
Jamankira block has reported crop damage in 10557 hectares; 8731 hectares in Bamara; 5520 hectares in Kuchinda block; 4524 hectares in Rengali block; 1809 hectares in Maneswar block and 56 hectares in Jujumara block.
However, reports of crop damage from Nakatideula and some parts of Jujumara blocks have not been available.
Farmers in some pockets fear that drought will affect more areas in these blocks.
In the current year, the agriculture department has set a target for paddy cultivation in 1,70,300 hectares in the district.
The department reports said crops damage has occurred in 30,000 hectares and 28 per cent of paddy was damaged.
“Details of the damage will be collected and a final report submitted to the department,” said Khagendranath Jena, the deputy director of agriculture.
PNN