IMD issues Weather Update The monsoon has completely betrayed the farmers. Instead of rain in the month of Sawan, everyone is relieved from the heat of the sun and heat. Due to the deception of the clouds, the shadow of famine has started looming. The farmers had started cultivation of Kharif crops with a lot of hope, but the hopes have been dashed. This time there has been the least rainfall in the last five years. Due to the scorching sun and scorching heat in the fields, the paddy plants are drying up somewhere.
There is no possibility of rain in the distance. Somehow the farmers were able to plant with the pumpset, but now the plants have started drying up in the field. All the farmers are lightheaded due to this crisis and the looming cloud of drought. All the questions like what will happen to their hard work and cost are troubling the farmers. In the month of June, 172.8 mm of rain was required, but only 74.4 mm of rain was received. 314 mm of rain is required in the month of July. This time till now only 119 mm of rain has been received in this month. There is hue and cry everywhere for the rain. Every section is burning. The summer heat is beating May. Dust is flying in the field and on the road.
More than 12.5 crores spent on irrigation
So far, according to the farmers in the district, paddy has been sown in about 68.5 thousand hectares. Although the department is claiming more. Due to the rain, only 20.5 thousand hectares of paddy has been planted in the district. The rest of the planting has been done by the farmers by running the pump set. If the farmers are to be believed, the minimum expenditure of three thousand rupees per hectare is being incurred in doing only Patwan. In such a situation, the farmers of the district have spent more than 12.5 crores only for water in planting paddy. Despite this there is no guarantee of crop.
A look at paddy cultivation and rain
Paddy cultivation target – 88000 hectares
Required rainfall in the month of July – 314.10 mm
Total rainfall so far – 319.6 mm
Normal rainfall in the month of June-172-8 mm
Total rainfall in the month of June – 74.4 mm
Total plantation so far – 68580 hectares
Planting by rain – 20.5 thousand hectare
Planting done with pump set – 48000 hectare
Farmers’ expenditure on irrigation for planting – 12.5 crores approx.
what do farmers say
Somehow we dropped paddy straw, this season it has rained only for three to four days and that too very little. Monsoon is of no use this time. Those plants that were planted with the pump set are also drying up. Sanjay Singh, Farmer
Firstly, this time the monsoon came late, secondly till now it has rained nominally. The farmers did not get any benefit from that rain, neither the saplings fell, nor the paddy is being planted. Chiranjeevi Singh, Farmer
There is sunshine and heat in Savan like Jeth-Vaishakh, whereas there should have been drizzling rains of Savan at this time. Had it rained, we would have been in the fields at this time and our paddy crop would have been flourishing. Subhash Choubey, Farmer
Farmers are upset due to lack of rain. Under compulsion, paddy is being planted by running water from the pumpset with his hard earned money. This is a risk. If there is no rain in future, there will be no crop, we will become poor. Nagnarayan Singh, Farmer
what do the officers say
Agriculture has been affected due to lack of rain. 90 percent planting has been done. Farmers should take diesel subsidy and plant and save their paddy seedlings. Bhupendra Mani Tripathi, DAO, Gopalganj
