Rice price has gone up in Manipur amid reports of failure of paddy crops due to scant rainfall and pest attack on plants. Reports say one kg of nutritious rice is being sold at ₹45 instead of ₹38 in and around Imphal.
Director of Agriculture P. Rajendra said steps have been taken to mitigate water shortage. He said the government would purchase pumps to provide water to the parched fields.
Though there was some rain in the State, farmers said it was too little and too late. In view of a drought-like situation, aggravated by the insect attack on crops, owners should not collect their share of paddy this time, demanded the farmers. Several farmers had to burn their standing crop to stop the pests from destroying plants in adjoining fields.
Government sources said there is no reason to panic as there is enough stock of rice in warehouses. An official said additional trucks would be used to lift Manipur’s quota of rice from Assam. The farmers said some of them had been given water pumps but there was no source of water. Kumbi legislator S. Bira, who had distributed water pumps to farmers, said steps were being taken to ensure that there was no shortage of irrigation water in future.
Officials said many rice mills were closing down as there was no paddy available.