LUCKNOW: With deficient rainfall across Uttar Pradesh this monsoon, farmers are staring at difficult days ahead fearing a sharp decline in their kharif produce.
As per the data of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Uttar Pradesh received only 170 mm rainfall between June 1 and July 29, which is 50% less than the normal rainfall of 342.8 mm.
Of the total 75 districts of the state, 67 recorded deficient rainfall while only seven recorded normal rainfall during this period.
The less rainfall is reflected in the drop in kharif cropping across the state. As per the state agriculture department, of the total 96.03 lh (lakh hectare), the total acreage of kharif plantation, close to 72 lh, has been cultivated till July 29. Of the total kharif acreage, 60 lh is used for paddy plantation which has lagged this year.“The paddy cropping in the state has been done at around 40 lh in the state which is around 65% of the total area. This has mainly occurred due to delay in the monsoon and less rainfall,” Baldev Singh Aulakh, minister of state for agriculture said.
Bisya Sen Verma (58), a marginal farmer of Naribehdan village of Lakhimpur Kheri said, “In past years, our fields used to be filled with water by July 10. But this year the rain god is angry. Forget replanting, even our nurseries have been damaged due to lack of rain.” “The ideal time for transplanting the paddy sapling from nursery to fields is 25-35 days. Once the saplings are mature beyond that the chances of survival of transplanted sapling reduces,” D Subrahmanyam, head of plant physiology department at the Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, explained. agencies
