Surplus rainfall boosts Odisha’s paddy cultivation.

After initial apprehensions about deficit paddy coverage due to inadequate rainfall, Sundargarh district has received surplus rainfall in the latter part of August, accelerating delayed farming operations.

Farmers who faced delays in transplanting due to early nursery raising have been advised to follow recommended agricultural practices to avoid the risk of low crop yields.

According to sources, as of the morning of August 27, the Baragaon, Bisra, Gurundia, Hemgir, Kuanrmunda, Lahunipada, Lathikata, Nuagaon, and Sundargarh blocks received between 471 mm and 499 mm of rainfall, with Sundargarh block recording the highest at 499 mm. The district’s normal rainfall for August is 357.9 mm.

In the remaining blocks, Balishankara, Bonai, Kutra, Rajgangpur, and Subdega received rainfall ranging from 357 mm to 396 mm, while Koida and Lefripada blocks received relatively lower amounts at 313 mm and 299 mm, respectively.

Sundargarh chief district agriculture officer (CDAO) Harihar Nayak said paddy transplanting and intercultural operations had been delayed by two to three weeks due to a 43 per cent and 45 per cent rainfall deficit in June and July, respectively. However, August has seen about 21 per cent surplus rainfall, with an average of nearly 400 mm, reviving paddy farming across the district.

The CDAO also said, by August 23, the district had achieved paddy coverage of 1,75,360 hectare (ha) out of the total target of 1,94,700 ha, with 90 per cent of transplanting activities completed. Besides, about 72 per cent of non-paddy areas have been covered, with oilseeds, pulses, vegetables, and other crops at various growth stages. “Farmers who experienced delays in transplanting should ensure more aged plants per hill during transplanting and proceed with early top dressing of urea. Timely application of other fertilisers and need-based use of pesticides should also be ensured,” he advised.

This article has been republished from The New Indian Express.