PATNA: Bihar is facing a major agriculture crisis due to a whopping 42% deficiency in the monsoon rainfall so far this year. As many as 35 of 38 districts received deficient rainfall (-20 to -59%) so far, including large deficiency (-60% and above) in 11 districts.
The 11 districts which have received large deficient rainfall include Arwal (-72%), Sheikhpura (-72%), Aurangabad (-71%), Gaya (-71%), Sheohar (-69%), Lakhisarai (-67%), Saran (-66%), Nawada (-62%), Katihar (-62%), Rohtas (-62%), Bhagalpur (-61%) and Gopalganj (-60%).
Farmers are facing anxious moments as they are unable to carry out the crucial paddy transplantation due to absence of monsoon rainfall, which is the main source of irrigation for paddy farms. Several districts are on the verge of facing perhaps the worst drought condition in recent years.
Shyam Bihari Ojha, a small farmer of Bhabhangaon village under Barhara block in Bhojpur district, said he has been unable to do paddy transplantation yet. “I can't afford diesel or electricity for irrigating my field with the help of boring or tube well. Farmers who have sown paddy seedlings are also quite distressed as the seedlings have dried up due to scorching sun.”
P K Dwivedi, agriculture scientist and head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhojpur, told this newspaper on Friday that sufficient canal water has not been received in many blocks for irrigation. “Scorching sun is causing disease infestation in the paddy nursery. Some deviation in the rice yield is expected this year,” he said.
Vijay Paswan of Fatehpur village under Tekari block of Gaya district said paddy seedlings could not be transplanted in his farm field due to absence of rainfall. “This is the story of most farmers. There is one power transformer in the village, which cannot bear the load of several motors at a time. The farmers are left with no option but to pray to the God for good rain so that the seedlings can be transplanted,” he said.
The paddy cultivation in kharif season starts with sowing of paddy seedlings mostly from early June. Paddy transplantation, on the other hand, is feasible from the beginning of July to mid-August, except in few areas in north-east Bihar, where it starts from late June.
Prabhakar Prasad Singh, a marginal farmer of Malpa village under Chauthm block in Khagaria district, lamented that the overall picture with regard to paddy transplantation in the district was gloomy. “Only 20% paddy plantation has been completed in seven blocks of the district. The paddy seedlings are withering away due to inadequate rain,” he said.
In Madhubani, not more than 10% of paddy transplantation has been done for want of rain. Even the fields that have been cropped have developed huge cracks for want of moisture. A farmer of Rahika block said despite the government claims of providing power connection to private tube well within 24 hours of making online request, the reality is altogether different. He said his request is pending compliance for more than 72 hours.
Paddy transplantation is yet to be done in 75% of the targeted area in Madhepura district in north Bihar as well. “Standing paddy seedlings have withered due to scorching heat and absence of rain. We had not seen such dry weather during the transplantation phase in last one decade,” said Anil Yadav, a farmer of Balam-Gadhiya village under Madhepura block.
East Champaran DAO Chandradeo Prasad said only 30% target has been achieved in paddy transplantation till date.
Weathermen have ruled out the possibility of good rainfall over the next few days as well. Patna Meteorological Centre, in its bulletin issued on Friday afternoon, issued forecast for rainfall at isolated places in the state over the next four days. Heavy rainfall, however, is likely to occur in West Champaran, Madhubani, Araria and Kishanganj on July 19.
(With inputs from Praveen, Alok Kumar, N P Thakur, C S Jha ‘Azad’, D N Saha and C B Pandey)
