SCANTY RAIN HITS PADDY FARMING IN BALANGIR Thursday, 06 August 2015 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

SCANTY RAIN HITS PADDY FARMING IN BALANGIR

Thursday, 06 August 2015 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

Paddy cultivation in Balangir district is likely to be affected due to lack of adequate rainfall.

The district received only 249 mm rainfall in July this year against an average rainfall of 360 mm. Till August 4, the district has received only 21.9 mm rainfall which is woefully inadequate to carry out further agricultural operations.

So far, the rainfall has helped to keep the soil wet and plant alive. But further agriculture operations like transplanting of paddy saplings requires heavy rain.

Paddy cultivation in the district has been undertaken in two ways, broadcasting and transplanting method. In the broadcasting method, farmers sowed the seed in summer/first week of June. In this process, farmers plough paddy fields again in order to clear weeds.

In the second process, paddy seedlings are raised in a nursery and after nearly 21 days, the saplings are planted in the field for which much water is required.

According to agriculture official sources, only 18 per cent of total beushining area has been covered and 34 per cent area has been cultivated under transplanting method.

With paddy seedling getting older in the nursery bed due to absence of required rains, the agricultural situation in the district has been grim.

 “We advise farmers to clear weeds from paddy field and apply more fertiliser to get good a yield,” said an official.

When contacted, district Collector M Muthukumar said the administration has made a contingency plan to deal with emerging situation.