Rain-hit farmers in Odisha to get help on priority basis: Agriculture minister

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, June 4:

Farmers affected by unseasonal rains in Odisha, triggered by a low pressure, will get seeds, fertilizers and pesticides on priority basis for kharif crops from the state government.

“My department will provide seeds, fertilizers and required pesticides for the kharif crop to farmers affected by the low pressure induced rains on a priority basis” Agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy said while briefing newsmen here on Tuesday after he returned from a tour of Nuapada and Kalahandi , which are among the worst affected districts .

During his tour the minister was accompanied by the director Agriculture R Santhagopalan .

He said he had interacted with the farmers and assured them of all help and support.

The minister said the state government would make efforts to compensate the farmers for losses incurred by them after the Revenue and Agriculture departments submit their reports.

According to preliminary estimates by government officials,  crops in 13,984 hectare have been damaged in Junagarh, Jaipatna and Kalampur blocks in Kalahandi district, affecting as many as 10,552 farmers.

Similarly, both paddy and vegetables crops have been damaged in Nuapada district, sources said.

In Nuapada’s Komana block alone,  paddy crop in 26 hectares and vegetable crop in 30 hectares have been damaged, according to preliminary reports by government officials, sources said.

According to reports, onion was cultivated in over 846 ha of land and the expected yield was estimated at 11,387 tonnes.

However, unseasonal rains  from May 25 to May 27 completely damaged the onion crop leaving farmers devastated