State to lose 68,000 MT paddy yield this year
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 15 2022: Even though ploughing and sowing activities for Kharif crops particularly paddy began early, more than 26,000 hectares of paddy fields across the state would not be able to harvest paddy and the state may suffer loss of more than 68,000 metric tonnes of paddy production this year.

The state received excess rain just before the arrival of monsoon this year and accordingly farmers started ploughing and sowing activities very early.

However, many paddy fields in some districts faced drought like situation due to shortage of rain and are unlikely to harvest paddy.

To assess dry paddy fields where crop failure is imminent, the agriculture department conducted a survey through relevant officers and the report of the survey estimated that 26,603.85 hectares of paddy fields across the state would fail and the state may suffer loss of 68,105.86 metric tonnes of paddy production this Kharif season.

Citing report of the survey conducted by district agriculture officers (DAO), an official of agriculture department informed that paddy harvest is unlikely in a total of 6080.13 hectares in Imphal West district which include 949.13 hectares in Patsoi sub-division, 5015 hectares in Haorang Sabal, 19 hectares in Hiyangthang and 57 hectares in Wangoi.

In Imphal East district, a total of 13,826.60 hectares of paddy fields would not harvest paddy which include 1360.10 hectares in Heingang sub-division, 3235 hectares in Keirao Bitra, 3590.3 hectares in Sawombung, 1125.2 hectares in Kshetrigao and 4516 hectares in Sagolmang.

A total of 2933 hectares of paddy fields in Thoubal district which faced drought will not harvest paddy.

This includes 264 hectares in Lilong sub-division, 761 hectares in Thoubal, 908 hectares in Wangjing, 405 hectares in Kakching, 595 hectares in Langmeidong.

Similarly, 3191 hectares of paddy fields in Bishnupur district would not harvest paddy this season.

The report also said that 527.12 hectares of paddy fields in Churachandpur district, 86 hectares of paddy fields in Senapati district which faced drought would not harvest paddy.

The report estimated that 26,603.85 hectares out of the total 1.95 lakh hectares of paddy fields of the state would not harvest paddy properly this year.

The survey, however, gave no report for Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel districts.

Paddy variety planted in 26,603.85 hectares of paddy fields that experienced drought were of high yielding variety and accordingly the state may suffer loss of 68,105.86 metric tonnes of paddy production this year when the yield is calculated at the rate of 2.56 metric tonnes per hectare.

Nevertheless, agriculture minister Thongam Biswajit had announced earlier that government is planning to provide Rabi crop seeds as compensatory crop for paddy fields which faced drought during Kharif season.

Apart from this, chief minister N Biren had said that the government is taking up steps to keep 1.95 lakh hectares of paddy fields of the state green throughout the year instead of keeping the paddy fields barren for 6/7 months after harvesting paddy.

To make this happen, a committee comprising representatives of agriculture, horticulture, minor irrigation, CADA and water resources departments had already been constituted to provide irrigation water to paddy fields while many farmers and farmers' organisations have assured of extending support and cooperation to the government's initiative.

The committee headed by additional chief secretary P Vaiphei as chairman along with representatives of the departments concerned had already conducted two meetings at the level of the chief minister.

Amidst this, Rabi campaign in Imphal East district was launched on Monday by sowing seeds.

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