Unseasonal rains shatter farmers’ hopes of bumper harvest in Odisha

KENDRAPARA/JAJPUR: Farmers across Kendrapara and Jajpur districts are a worried lot after the recent unseasonal rains and thunderstorms in their areas caused damage to their crops. In Kendrapara, farmers particularly those cultivating green gram, ground nut and sugarcane said they had grown the crops after taking loans from cooperative societies, various government and non-governmental organisations. “We hoped of reaping a good harvest but the untimely rain and hailstorms last week have shattered our expectations. We are spending sleepless nights as this unseasonal rain and thunderstorm will hit our yield both in quantity and quality,” said Ranjan Rout, a farmer from Kendrapara.

Meanwhile worried about the current weather scenario, many farmers here have resorted to harvesting immature crops to save them from being completely destroyed in the rains.“I have recently harvested immature sugarcane crops on over two acre of land since the unexpected rains last week left standing crops damaged. Large tracts of our farm fields are waterlogged and we are still stressed about the current weather condition,” said Samarendra Rout of Rajkanika.

Contacted, farmers’ leader and president of the district unit of All Odisha Krushak Sabha, Gayadhar Dhal said fault in the government’s agricultural policy is the main reason behind the plight of the farmers.“The farmers never insure their crops as a result they suffer during natural disasters like flood, cyclone, untimely rain and drought. Besides, the government is yet to formulate a concrete policy to insure the agricultural lands as a result of which farmers do not receive any compensation during crop loss,” he added.

In Jajpur too, heavy rainfall for three consecutive days has damaged the groundnut crops, just ahead of harvest. Following the unseasonal rains, large tracts of groundnut crops in Rasulpur, Bari, Jajpur, Dharmasala and Badachana blocks of the district are lying submerged in the rainwater.

The crop loss has meanwhile dealt a huge flow on the groundnut cultivators here who had availed loans for their cultivation and were expecting a good harvest this year. “I had grown groundnuts on over two acre land and was sure to reap good but the untimely rains have destroyed them all,” said Dharmendra Mohanty of Rasulpur block.Concerning the issue, the district administration has directed the Agriculture department here to prepare a crop loss report on the matter.