Rain pain for farmers  

JEYPORE: Low-pressure induced heavy rains across Koraput district for the last three days have come as a major blow for farmers who had recently started harvesting their crops.Farmers of Jeypore, Kotpad, Kundra and Borrigumma blocks had cultivated rabi crop in January this year. Harvesting was in full-swing when it started raining and crops on large patches of land were damaged. Sources said the worst hit are farmers who had left the harvested crops on their farmland for drying. 

Ganga Pangi of Badakudi village in Jeypore block said he had harvested his paddy crop sown over four acre of land. “I was planning to thresh the paddy when it started raining,” he rued. Many farmers said they are worried about selling the wet and damaged paddy in mandis. Sources in the district emergency department informed that about 50 mm rainfall was recorded in the last three days and the inclement weather would continue for a few more days.