Kendrapara, Dec 27 (LocalWire) Untimely rain accompanied by the gusty wind in the coastal district of Kendrapara has left farmers worried on Friday as it could damage ripe paddy crops and vegetables.
The Met department has predicted that a trough line now extends till interior Odisha and there is possibility of light rain in some parts of the State.
“Around 70 per cent of harvesting paddy crops has been completed. If it rains with high-velocity winds, paddy and vegetable crops will be damaged completely”, Babaji Parida, a farmer of Mulabasant said.
“The officials have advised to store it in the godown. But where can I store such a large amount?” Bijay Sahoo, a farmer of Bharatpur, said.
Riverside areas of Marsaghai, Garadapur, Rajkanika, Aul and Mahakalapada areas of Kendrapara district are known for groundnut cultivation.
“Rains can damage groundnut crops,” said Sarat Rout of Patalipanka village who raised groundnut over his two acres of land.
Farmers have been expecting a profuse harvest this year but the adverse weather condition could play a spoilsport.
Many farmers will suffer in a big way in case of rains during the peak harvesting season as they have already taken loans from the cooperative societies, private money lenders and rice businessmen, said Gayadhar Dhal a farmers’ leader of Kendrapara.
Tractor and paddy- harvesting machine owners are now minting money from the hapless farmers due to heavy demand for the tractors and paddy harvesting machines to harvest and shift paddy crops from the land to safer places, he added.
“We have advised the farmers not to leave their harvested crops in the open. Many farmers have already shifted their crops from the fields to their homes and other safer places”, said Mohan Sharma the Chief District Agriculture Officer in Kendrapara.
LocalWire
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