Semi drought situation haunts 11 districts in WB
deficient rainfall has taken its toll on paddy cultivation in 11 districts in WB too.
By ET Bureau |
KOLKATA: The scourge of deficient rainfall, which is being experienced all over the country over the past two months, has taken its toll on paddy cultivation in West Bengal too.
Hit by a semi-drought situation in 11 districts, Aman paddy cultivation could not be initiated in some 6 lakh hectares in the state till the second week of August, where paddy is traditionally the main crop in a normal khariff season.
Even after experiencing excess rainfall in some districts in the southern part of the state last year, paddy was cultivated in about 43 lakh hectares during the last khariff season. But, with rainfall deficiency surging to 30-46% in 11 districts this time around, about 39 lakh hectares have so far been brought under Aman paddy cultivation in the state till todate.
According to the latest report by the state agriculture department, a 30-46% deficiency in rainfall has been witnessed in Dinajpur (both south and north), Coochbehar, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Howrah, Bankura, Purulia and Midnapore (west). The worst hit among them is Midnapore (west), which has received 46% less than normal rain in the ongoing khraif season. Malda has recorded a 41% deficiency in rainfall, followed by Murshidabad (38%).
However, the state agriculture department is hopeful of some improvement in the situation by the month-end. "If there is some improvement in rainfall in the next two weeks, paddy cultivation can be initiated in another 3 lakh hectares," said the state agriculture director GC Burman.
Even after that acreage, Aman paddy in the state would fall short of the last year's coverage, when paddy cultivation was undertaken in 43 lakh hectares. As a result, Aman rice production hit a level of 103.67 lakh tonnes.
If Aman paddy cannot be finally transplanted in about 3 lakh hectares by August-end, Aman rice production in the state this year is expected to fall by 11.25 lakh tonnes, said a state government official.
Meanwhile, expecting some improvement in rainfall in the next two weeks, the state government is biding time to declare any of those affected districts as drought-hit areas. Despite receiving scanty rainfall in a vast stretch of areas, none of the districts in the state is declared as drought-hit ones, although the Centre after receiving reports from dozens of state governments, has declared 177 out of 625 districts as drought-hit areas.
Hit by a semi-drought situation in 11 districts, Aman paddy cultivation could not be initiated in some 6 lakh hectares in the state till the second week of August, where paddy is traditionally the main crop in a normal khariff season.
Even after experiencing excess rainfall in some districts in the southern part of the state last year, paddy was cultivated in about 43 lakh hectares during the last khariff season. But, with rainfall deficiency surging to 30-46% in 11 districts this time around, about 39 lakh hectares have so far been brought under Aman paddy cultivation in the state till todate.
According to the latest report by the state agriculture department, a 30-46% deficiency in rainfall has been witnessed in Dinajpur (both south and north), Coochbehar, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Howrah, Bankura, Purulia and Midnapore (west). The worst hit among them is Midnapore (west), which has received 46% less than normal rain in the ongoing khraif season. Malda has recorded a 41% deficiency in rainfall, followed by Murshidabad (38%).
However, the state agriculture department is hopeful of some improvement in the situation by the month-end. "If there is some improvement in rainfall in the next two weeks, paddy cultivation can be initiated in another 3 lakh hectares," said the state agriculture director GC Burman.
Even after that acreage, Aman paddy in the state would fall short of the last year's coverage, when paddy cultivation was undertaken in 43 lakh hectares. As a result, Aman rice production hit a level of 103.67 lakh tonnes.
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If Aman paddy cannot be finally transplanted in about 3 lakh hectares by August-end, Aman rice production in the state this year is expected to fall by 11.25 lakh tonnes, said a state government official.
Meanwhile, expecting some improvement in rainfall in the next two weeks, the state government is biding time to declare any of those affected districts as drought-hit areas. Despite receiving scanty rainfall in a vast stretch of areas, none of the districts in the state is declared as drought-hit ones, although the Centre after receiving reports from dozens of state governments, has declared 177 out of 625 districts as drought-hit areas.
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