Moody monsoon keeps farmers on tenterhooks

A seemingly-improved show of monsoon has not helped the State where at least half the districts are still reeling under deficient rainfall even as July reaches its end. With the country as a whole witnessing a below-par monsoon, agriculture faces an uncertain future in Odisha.

 The rainfall figures do not show the reality though. According to cumulative rainfall data by India Meteorological Department, the monsoon so far has been normal though the deficiency is just 14 per cent. A deviation of 19 pc is considered normal and by that standard, South-West monsoon has not betrayed the State yet. Against a normal rainfall of 491 mm by July 26, Odisha received 424.3 mm.

 The cumulative figure, however, hides the fact that as many as 14 districts have recorded deficient rainfall which is, in meteorological terms, defined by an above 20 pc deficiency.

 While the climatic conditions appear to be rainy, it has not translated into showers and at least five coastal districts are in the deficient rainfall zone. Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara continue to thirst for more showers. Balasore has a deficiency of 42 pc while the rest four have registered over 30 pc deficiency.

 Similarly, some of the western and northern Odisha districts too have failed to receive adequate rainfall during the season causing concern to farmers. Deogarh recorded a deficiency of 44 pc, the highest in the State so far. Besides, districts such as Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Koraput and Rayagada are witnessing low rainfall.

 The IMD also noted the trend in its latest bulletin and said compared to the last week, rainfall was significantly more over central India and less over south peninsula and east as well as north-east states.  The weather office does not have encouraging forecast for the State either. In its outlook for the next week, it says active monsoon conditions would prevail over parts of central and east India during first half of the week but thereafter, there will be a decrease in rainfall.

 There might be isolated heavy rainfall over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh during the first half of the week but with little rain in the offing in the subsequent periods, farming community can have a hard time.