Scanty rainfall affects agriculture in Koraput

The district has received only 32% rainfall in July and 1.25% in the first week of August

Farmers in tribal-dominated Koraput district in Odisha are a worried lot for the scanty rainfall in July and in the first week of August for which a drought-like situation looms over the region.

"The district has received only 32 per cent rainfall in July and 1.25 per cent in the first week of August. If there is no immediate rain in next few days the situation may turn alarming," Deputy Director of Agriculture (Jeypore), Kalidas Biswas said.

Officials said while the rainfall in July was expected to be 375.6 mm the district received only 122.91 mm rainfall.

Similarly, for August the rainfall target is 393.06 mm.

"We have targeted to cover 99.267 hectare with paddy this Kharif season. But till now we have managed to cover only 62,991 hectare and the rest are lying vacant with no or scanty rainfall. Also, 25 per cent of the total area covered are in virtually dry situation for less rainfall," Biswas said.

According to the officer, while paddy cultivation in Jeypore, Borigumma and Kotpad blocks covered under Upper Kolab Irrigation Project are manageable, farmers in non-irrigated blocks like Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon, Nandapur, Pottangi, Semiliguda and Dasmantpur blocks were the worst sufferers.

"The present situation is not very encouraging. The area is witnessing long dry spells and it is already a drought-like situation here," said Gopi Hantal of Dalaiput village under Koraput block.

The agriculture department has prepared a contingency plan for the farmers in case there is no increase in rainfall in the district, officials said.

"Non-paddy crops will be encouraged in case there is no improvement in present rainfall situation in the district.

Short duration paddy, green and black gram seeds are in stock and those will be supplied to the farmers," they said.

However, the cultivation of non-paddy crops in the kharif season was also not encouraging owing to the scanty rainfall.

Official figure shows out of 1,96,733 hectare of land targeted to cover under non-paddy crops in the district only 69,091 hectare has been achieved.