Excess rainfall triggers crop loss fear

ROURKELA: Hundreds of farmers of Sundargarh district, Nuagaon in particular,  are invoking the Rain God again. This time praying for the heavy rains to stop. They apprehend that continuation of rain for a few more days could mar their crop  prospects.Ironically, against the backdrop of two previous failed monsoons, it is a case of too much in Sundargarh district as till Saturday the district received an average 375.64-mm rainfall. Normal rainfall for September is 211.5 mm. This kharif season too monsoon initially played truant before steadying. Farmers in the fertile Nuagaon block are more worried as the block had already received nearly 632 mm and more would mean damage to the standing crops.While agronomists assert that excess rainfall is no threat to the water-tolerant paddy plants, they fear for the yield of non-paddy crops.  Away from the official assessment of reaping a good harvest, the ground reality is something unusual. Farmers of almost all gram panchayats in Nuagaon block including Bagdega, Barilepta, Sorada, Urmai, Chitapedi, Teterkela and Limda with short-duration paddy crops ready for harvest are worried. The rains are neither allowing the crops to ripen or be harvested.   However, the Deputy Director, Agriculture, Narendra Behera said the overall crop situation was satisfactory on the surface. He said crop damage has not been reported from elsewhere.