The rain triggered by the impending cyclone in Ganjam district brought cheer to farmers of drought-hit villages in the district. The rain is expected to help farmers prepare for kharif season. The district received an average of 7.3mm rain in the last 24 hours, with the highest rainfall recorded in Patrapur (27 mm) and Rangeilunda (26 mm), sources said.
"If the rainfall continues for some more days, it will help the farmers," said Sudhir Rout. He said the wet soil will facilitate ploughing and direct the flow of canal water to the agricultural land. The agriculture officials have tentatively planned paddy cultivation on 2.16 lakh hectares land in the district as against last year's achievement of 2.22 lakh hectares.
"We are planning to reduce the paddy area in upland this year due to the shortage of water for irrigation, which leads to drought-like conditions. Instead of taking up paddy in these areas, we encourage the farmers to go for cultivation of non-paddy crops" said deputy director of agriculture (DDA) Ganjam Sudarshan Mohanty. More than 15,246 hectares of paddy in 16 out of 22 blocks in the district were affected by drought last year.
"If the rainfall continues for some more days, it will help the farmers," said Sudhir Rout. He said the wet soil will facilitate ploughing and direct the flow of canal water to the agricultural land. The agriculture officials have tentatively planned paddy cultivation on 2.16 lakh hectares land in the district as against last year's achievement of 2.22 lakh hectares.
"We are planning to reduce the paddy area in upland this year due to the shortage of water for irrigation, which leads to drought-like conditions. Instead of taking up paddy in these areas, we encourage the farmers to go for cultivation of non-paddy crops" said deputy director of agriculture (DDA) Ganjam Sudarshan Mohanty. More than 15,246 hectares of paddy in 16 out of 22 blocks in the district were affected by drought last year.