Uncertainty hangs over paddy yield
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 04 2017:
With vast paddy fields inundated by floods, the State's paddy productivity this season cannot be projected in any definite term so far .
Altogether 77,900 hectares of paddy fields were inundated and the worst affected district was Imphal East.
23,108 hectares in Imphal East, 21,028 hectares in Imphal West, 17,103 in Thoubal, 17,010 in Bishnupur, 78 hectares in Chandel, 320 hectares in Churachandpur, 10 hectares in Tamenglong and 20 hectares in Ukhrul were inundated .
Moreover, 307 hectares of maize cultivation, 300 hectares of pulse cultivation, 20 hectares of sugarcane cultivation and 150 hectares where oilseeds were cultivated were also inundated, informed a source .
Although records say that the State's total area of paddy cultivation is 1.95 lakh hectares, it might have shrunk considerably due to several reasons .
Approximately around two-third of the State's total paddy cultivated areas were inundated this year.
Even though paddy was cultivated afresh in many of the inundated fields, Agriculture Department has no data on the exact area of paddy fields where paddy cultivation perished .
As such, the State's total paddy yield this season cannot be projected in any definite term .
Nonetheless, the department has sought reports from different districts regarding total areas of paddy fields where paddy cultivation perished due to floods.
District Agriculture offices are expected to submit these reports by the last week of the current month, conveyed the source .
One should not expect any paddy production from paddy fields where paddy was not sown or transplanted by August 15 last .
The State's total paddy yield last year was 6,45,600 MT.