Heavy rains can only rescue farmers

AloneFunk

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posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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BHADRAK: Farmers here are apprehending threat to their kharif crop due to erratic rains. While there was 58 per cent and 93 per ce..

BHADRAK: Farmers here are apprehending threat to their kharif crop due to erratic rains. While there was 58 per cent and 93 per cent rainfall in May and June respectively, there was less than 48 per cent rainfall this month. This has delayed agricultural operations for the kharif season."This is bound to take a toll on the livelihood of farmers of the district," leader of the district farmers' union Chandrasekhar Nayak said, adding that 80 per cent of the 17 lakh population depend on agriculture here.
Though kharif cultivation is yet to be taken up completely, farmers in Chandballi, Tihidi, Bonth and Bhadrak blocks have started broadcasting. But with the rains playing truant, these farmers are now apprehending a droughtlike situation. "Seedlings in land which were broadcast have failed to germinate properly due to lack of water," said Padam Sahoo, a marginal farmer of Kaupur village under Bhadrak block.Against the target of paddy cultivation in over 1.63 lakh hectares, work has already started on over 72,000 hectares.

As per District Emergency office reports, the district has experienced only 133 mm rainfall till July 27 against the average rainfall of 293.60 mm. The District Agriculture Officer Umakanta Sahoo, however, hoped that the kharif cultivation might not be hit if there is enough rainfall in the first week of

August.

There is not even enough water in Akhuapada

barrage which irrigates 10,000 hectares.