Jajpur: While the extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ has bid adieu to the state, it has left a trail of devastation across the coastal belt. Among the worst affected are farmers who have lost acres of standing crops that were ready for harvest.
Preliminary reports from Rasulpur block in Jajpur district reveals that crop in more than 824 hectares of farmlands in the block have been damaged due to the cyclone. However, the agricultural department is yet to prepare a final report and provide necessary compensation to the farmers.
This block has vast stretches of fertile soil that are known to grow a wide variety of agricultural produce. That said, cultivation of groundnuts is very popular here along with pulses like green gram and arhar. Some of the popular summer vegetables cultivated here are pointed gourd, ridge gourd, cucumber, brinjal and bitter-gourd.
While the farmers had cultivated several kinds of pulses along with vegetables and groundnuts like any other year, the cyclone has made extensive damage to the crops this time.
“All these crops were completely damaged during Fani. Groundwater and pulses are seen floating in the rainwater that gushed into the farmlands due to excessive rain and subsequent flood-like situation created by the cyclone,” said a farmer.
The loss this season has broken the backbone of the farmers who were trying hard to recuperate from the losses of any other recent natural calamities. A number of farmers who had hoped to repay their loans are in distress now.
“Acres of groundnut have been washed away from my farm in recent rain. How will I feed my family and payback my loans that I had taken for the cultivation,” Sanatan Rout of Singhpur panchayat rued.
Similarly, farmer Nabakishore Rout of Manatir village under Barbati panchayat said: “I had cultivated pulses in five acres. All the sprouts have been washed away”.
Out of 28 panchayats in this block, farmers of Kalan, Odisho, Nathuabar, Bhotaka, Gandhan, Sribantpur, Bahadalapur, Narsinghpur, Barbati, Mugupal, Rasulpur, Rahamba, Badakainchi, Singhpur panchayats are among the worst affected.
With no fresh vegetables from nearby fields, local markets here wear a deserted look. Not many vendors are seen selling vegetables in the area. Local consumers are often forced to pay up to double the price for vegetables brought from other places. Prices have also moves up due to the surge in demand.
Curiously though, no officials of the agriculture department have visited the panchayats to assess the loss.
When contacted, a senior official said that a report would be prepared by visiting the villages and talking to the farmers. Necessary compensation would be provided to the farmers after the report is submitted to the district collector.