JOAO SOUSA M | NT
QUEPEM/CANACONA: The unprecedented dry spell has threatened to destroy nearly 5,000 hectares of paddy cultivation in 11 villages of Quepem and Canacona affecting nearly 3,000 farmers.
The state has witnessed nearly 18 per cent deficit rainfall with the monsoon becoming inactive from September 11 onwards.
In Canacona, paddy is cultivated on 1,600 hectares of land in upland areas in all the seven villages, while in Quepem paddy cultivation is carried out on 3,000 hectares of land on hilltops in four villages.
Zonal agriculture officer, Canacona, Chandras Dessai said the next 72 hours are critical, as there has been no rain for the last nine days and the texture of the soil can hold water for only 12 days.
“If there is no rain in the next 72 hours, there could be large-scale damage, as nearly 60-70 per cent of the agriculture in the taluka is dependent on monsoon due to the hilly terrain. This is happening for the first time in eight years that the crop is likely to be damaged due to extensive heat,” he said.
Dessai said, “We have visited the farms and there are signs of the effect of heat on the crop. You can’t say anything at the moment.” He said that the cultivation was going through a very critical stage of pod initiation and it requires a lot of water.
The Canacona ZAO said a total of 2,540 hectares of land is brought under Kharif cultivation of paddy in the seven villages of Agonda, Cola, Cotigao, Gaondongrem, Lollem-Polem, Poinguinim and Shirsthal of which cultivation on nearly 1,600 hectares of land is carried out on upland farming due to the hilly terrain. The farmers stare at huge losses, as they do not get any subsidy for farming with the department providing subsidy only for mechanised cultivation.
The zonal agricultural officer said in case the crop fails, the farmers will be covered under the Xetkari Aadhar Nidhi, while the department could also revert to contingency plan to provide agriculture pumps to water the paddy fields and reduce the damage caused.
Zonal agriculture officer at Quepem Satyawan Dessai said, “We are closely monitoring the situation, as the rain suddenly stopped since September 11. Till this point the crop was doing well and has reached the initiation period. Fortunately, there was a mild shower yesterday which lasted for an hour. However, we need rain in the next two to three days.”
He said that villages of Barcem, Cavrem, Malcornem and Moripilla account for over 3,000 hectares of upland farming adding this is the time when the paddy crop requires a lot of water. It is not just the paddy crop which is likely to be damaged but the vegetable crop atop the hills may also perish, as the heat has taken its toll on the horticulture crop, reducing the yield. He said the crop has started wilting due to the heat and will start perishing shortly.On the ground, however, the farmers claim that the crop has already been destroyed in the heat, as the pods have turned dry.
A farmer Bhiva Gaonkar said, “The dry heat has destroyed all crop. The pods are empty and have dried up prematurely. We needed another 30 days for the crop to be ready for harvesting and needed rain for 20 days. However, rain stopped just when the pods started appearing.”
Pointing out to vast areas of paddy crop on the slopes of Karmal ghat, another farmer Sunita Goankar said, “The crop is lost, all our hard work is also wasted. The crop has been destroyed and the situation is the same for all the 100 farmers in the ward. We have no financial aid to carry out cultivation and now with lack of rain, everything has been lost.”