Agriculture operation picks up in Ganjam district

Agriculture operation has picked up in Odisha's Ganjam district following widespread rainfall in last three days, officials said. "The much-awaited rains will help the farmers to start agriculture operation, particularly sowing and transplantation of paddy," said Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA) of Ganjam district, Manoj Kumar Behera.

Though the arrival of rains was delayed, it is not too late for sowing operation, he said. The agriculture operation, which generally starts just before Raja festival in the district was not taking place due to delay in the arrival of the southwest monsoon.

"We will start seed sowing and in some places transplantation with rains lashing all areas in the district," said Ashok Nayak, a farmer in Mathura in Polasara block. The district administration has set a target to cultivate around 2.10 lakh hectares of paddy cultivation during this Kharif season as against the last year's achievement of 2.08 lakh hectares, said an official.

The administration aims at the productivity of 40 quintals per acre this year. The yield rate of last year was 38 quintal per acre, he said. Farmers' organisations, however, apprehended that the agriculture operation in the district might be affected due to a shortage of seeds and fertilizers.

"With rainfall being experienced, the farmers in several areas require short-duration paddy seeds. However, there is no stock of such seeds in the district at present," claimed Simanchal Nahak of Rushikulya Raita Mahasabha. The DDA said around 40,000 quintal seeds of different varieties have already been disbursed through selling points, including primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) to the farmers.

More quantities of seeds are expected to reach the district. The state-owned state seeds corporation, is procuring seeds from different agencies, including National Seed Corporation (NSC) to tide over the shortage, said Behera. Similarly, the district has a stock of around 13,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer and another 20,000 metric tonnes would arrive soon, the deputy director said.