Nuapada: Incessant rainfall in Komna block of this district following a thunderstorm has wreaked havoc on the farmers and their produces, a report said Sunday.
A thunderstorm occurred in Komna block Tuesday following which the area has been witnessing incessant rainfalls. It has led to farmlands getting flooded. Cash crops like groundnuts and onions grown by the farmers have been extensively damaged due to the rains.
The damage has pushed the farmers into distress as they stare at a bleak future lying ahead. The farmers had borrowed money from various sources to raise their crops. However, now with produces not expected to be high, they are pondering how to repay the loans.
As a result, farmers in the area have resorted to distress sale of their crops due to the absence of marketing facilities and cold storages.
Reports said that majority of the farmers in Kandetara, Nuagaon, Tuklapada, Lohondopalli, Thutibara, Kendubhata, Kalimati, Danojhala, Mahulabhata, Mushapali, Suklimundi, Kasipala, Bagmunda, Belardana villages under Komna block had cultivated onions on their farmlands.
This is because onion is a temperate crop and can be grown in all types of climatic condition and soils. Moreover, it needs light irrigation which makes it the preferred choice of the farmers.
The farmers had reaped a good harvest this year and were expecting handsome returns from the sale of onions. However, the unseasonal rainfall shattered all their hopes as it has led to the rotting of the onions.
Reports said that farmers are selling a kilogram of onion between Rs 10 -12 which is then sold by traders in the market at Rs 25 to 30 per kg. The farmers despite labouring hard to raise their crops are resorting to distress sale in the absence of any alternative.
Jagabandhu Bemal, a farmer of Thuitibara village said that the district administration should have a proper marketing method in place so that they can get good prices. He said cold storage facilities should also be developed.
When contacted, Purnananda Patel, tehsildar Komna block said that teams from the Horticulture and Agriculture department will make an assessment of the loss and submit a report which in turn will be sent to the higher authorities for their approval. The farmers will be paid compensation after availability of funds, informed Patel.
PNN