Deficient rain hits farmers in Ukhrul hard
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, July 18 2019:
The deficient and delay in monsoon has hit hard the prospects of farmers of Ukhrul district in a big way.
Ukhrul and Kamjong district being located in the hills with cold temperate climate, rice transplantation season begins from the first week of May and ends in the last week of June.
Wetland terrace paddy farm located at low lying areas are fed by river water before the onset of monsoon, however this year due to scanty rainfall most of the water source have gone dry.
Ukhrul district receives high rainfall with average of annual rainfall pegged at 1600 mm to 2100 mm.
Paddy have to be planted in a flooded condition with the depth of water varying over 25 mm at the time of transplantation and the saplings have to be kept in 150 mm water for at least 10 weeks.
A farmer from Ukhrul Kaping said that best season for paddy sapling propagation and multiplication is between July and August but this year this pattern has been affected.
He went on to mention the the cold winter wind will start to blow from September end onward and late transplantation will hamper the growt and maturation of the paddy.
Another local cultivator, Chihanshang Chiphang from Greenland Ukhrul who own a peice of agricultural land producing more 400 tins office said that this year furrowing of paddy land has been delayed due to late arrival of monsoon.
In spite of transplanting the paddy plant, he has opted for seeding the paddy seeds forgoing the traditional practices of rice cultivation.
Tungsa Ragui said that the rain delay may be due to massive deforestation Most of the farmers of Ukhrul expressed serious concern over the changing rainfall pattern which will have serious repercussions on crop production.
Another farmer from Kasomtang Chonmi said that he has sown groundnut seeds in his paddy land this year due to insufficient water to grow rice saplings.
The traditional festival of Tangkhul community "Mangkhap Phanit" a post transplantation festival has been delayed due to incomplete agricultural cultivation.
Mangkhap is a three day festival, usually celebrated in the first week of July after the cultivation.
A villager from Kalhang village expressed that the village being located at hilly slope, cultivation of rice depends on rain water and due to non availability of rain water, paddy transplation has been abandoned this year.
According to the reports from Ukhrul District Agriculture Office, over 24 thousand hectares are cultivable/agricultural land in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
Out of this 13000 hectares of land are cultivated for both (wetland paddy and jhum) with an annual rice production of 22100 metric tonne per year.
However due to scanty rainfall this year there may be a sharp decrease in paddy production, stated District Agriculture officer.
Agriculture Officer (AO) of Ukhrul Varechon Raingam said that the department has conducted a rough survey during May-June to know the progress for wetland and jhum cultivation in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
According to him, 8000 hectares are jhum area, while 5000 hectares are wetland area and about (15-20) % cultivation in wetland low-lying fed by river water was found completed while remaining 4000 hectares were waiting for the rain.
Delay and shortfall of monsoon rain in Ukhrul and Kamjong has caused a drought like situation severely affecting the crops particularly paddy in most of villages of the two districts.
As the people of Ukhrul and Kamjong district mainly depend on agriculture and its products, crop failure and food shortage will directly jeopardize the livelihood of many families.
Senapati district: With the shortfall of rain in the State, in Senepati district, about 90 percent of the arable land depend on monsoon rain remain dry.
Most of the spring well that supply water are running dry due to scanty rainfall.
Almost all the villages in Mao, Maram Poumai, Thangal and Zeliang of Senapati reported that there insufficient rain even during June as compared with previous years.
Transplantation of the rice is has been grievously impacted due to deficient rainfall.
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