Imphal, August 21: A good portion of the standing paddy crops in the state have been affected during the kharif season this year due to shortage of rainfall since January.

About 30,000 hectares of paddy fields in Imphal east district have been hit by drought, while about 300 hectares have been declared beyond, recovery in Senapati district.

Further, about 15,000 hectares in Imphal west district and about 5,000 hectares in Thoubal district have also been affected due to shortage of rainfall.

While Bishnupur district is considered least affected, reports from Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts have not yet reached the headquarters of the state agriculture department.

Sources in the department attributed the emergence of drought-like conditions in August to the cumulative shortage of rain water in the paddy fields since January this year.

Although the valley fields faced about 15 per cent shortage of accumulative rainfall, due to excessive sunshine, excessive evaporation and soil moisturing stress, the standing crops have been affected, the sources said.

If there is no more rainfall during August and September, the affected paddy crops will pass the beyond recovery stage.

Dr S Amu Singh, the director of agriculture, said Imphal east district was affected due Lo lack of irrigation facilities and pumping sets.

About 234 pumping sets which were distributed during 1999 were of no use as they were of 5 to 10 horsepower type, he said.

He also stressed the need for long term plans which can be taken up by coordination with minor irrigation department, irrigation and flood control department and command area development authority to overcome the vicious circle faced by farmers every year.

He also disclosed that once the standing crops reach the maximum tillering to panicle initiation stage, if there is no rainwater in fields, there would not be any chance of recovery.

Comment