Deficit rainfall cripples kharif sowing in Odisha

Deficit rains, especially in the western and southern Odisha districts, in July has crippled the sowing of kharif crops and the crop area coverage has dropped by more than eight per cent as on August 1 compared to the same period of the last fiscal.

As many as 15 districts have received deficit rainfall during the month. These included Koraput, Bargarh, Boudh, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Subarnapur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nayagarh.

The total sowing area stood at 3.64 million hectares (mha) as August 1 against 3.98 mha sown in the comparable period of the last year.

The sowing of paddy, a key kharif crop, has been affected for shortage of rains. The paddy has been sown on 2.17 mha area against 2.36 mha last year, a decline of about eight per cent.

Cereals, including paddy, have been sown in 2.5 mha while pulses coverage area stood at 0.38 mha. Oilseed, fibres and vegetables were sown in 0.114 mha, 0.136 mha and 0.436 mha respectively. Spice coverage area was 0.088 mha as on August 1.

Last year, cereals coverage area was 2.71 mha while pulses, oilseeds, fibres and vegetables were sown in 0.40 mha, 0.13 mha, 0.14 mha, 0.50 mha respectively.

"The coverage has dropped for flood in northern districts and deficient rainfall in about 15 districts in western and southern parts of the state, especially affecting paddy cultivation. There is no prediction of rains in near future. A low pressure, which may form over Odisha by August 10, will cause rains only in northern parts," said Anupama Baliarsingh, associate professor, department of Agrometeorology at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

The farmers should now opt for at least one month less short-duration paddy varieties to avoid water deficit condition at the time of reproductive stage, she added.

It may be noted that the total targeted area to be brought under kharif cultivation was 6.166 mha. The state government has set food grain production target of 10.1 million tonne (mt) in the kharif, 2015. This year's target includes 9.51 mt of cereals and 0.587 mt of pulses. The cereals include 8.24 mt rice, 1.09 mt maize, 0.162 mt ragi. Pulses production target comprises 0.19 mt arhar, 0.15 mt mung and 0.176 mt biri.

As per the kharif campaign 2015, cereals will be cultivated on about 4.106 mha of land with a productivity ratio of 2,316 kg per ha. This includes rice cultivation on 3.5 mha with yield rate of 2,355 kg per ha, maize on 0.4 mha with productivity quotient of 2,755 kg per ha and ragi on 0.18 mha with yield rate of 902 kg per ha. For pulses, the target was 0.965 mha with productivity ratio of 609 kg per ha.