Agriculture officials still optimistic of good monsoon

Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsFarm works in the district have come to a halt once again with monsoon being erratic. A deficit of 60-mm rainfall was recorded last month and till now in July, the district received an average of 174-mm rain against the normal 387.4 mm.As per reports, paddy cultivation in highlands has been affected most due to prolonged dry spell and erratic rains. The district has a target of 2.13 lakh hectares (ha) under paddy cultivation and highlands account for 50 per cent of the total area covered and 30 pc and 20 pc respectively are medium and low lands. Paddy farmers in 40 per cent area go for broadcasting method and the rest 60 pc is covered through transplantation method. In this scenario, transplantation has been the most affected.  In transplantation, paddy saplings are grown for 21 to 30 days in nurseries and then transplanted in fields having good amount of water. An agriculture official said if the rainfall continued to be erratic,  transplantation would be badly affected. He, however, said that farmers have time till August 15 to cover all the areas.In the three weeks of July, Lefripara received the highest rainfall at 279 mm, while six blocks got 227 mm to 238 mm and eight blocks received 108 mm to 185 mm rain. Rajgangpur block with 54 mm and Nuagaon at 69 mm are the worst sufferers. Deputy Director for Agriculture Narendra Behera said there is nothing to panic as there are three more weeks and through proper application of fertilisers targeted paddy yields can be achieved. The situation is reminiscent of 2009 and 2010 when farmers faced drought-like situation.first published:January 01, 1970, 05:30 ISTlast updated:January 01, 1970, 05:30 IST 
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