Bhopal: Elusive rain leaves farmers worried

Bhopal: Elusive rain leaves farmers worried

Staff ReporterUpdated: Thursday, May 30, 2019, 05:28 AM IST
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Bhopal: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhopal, declared the onset of monsoon on June 26 in the state but scarce rainfall till date has left farmers worried, who fear damage to their crops because of less rainfall.

IMD, on June 26 had issued a warning of heavy rainfall in many districts of Madhya Pradesh including Bhopal. After declaring the onset of monsoon, the department advised farmers to keep their fields ready and initiate sowing in late June or the starting week of July. However, many areas of the state despite the onset of monsoon have not received adequate rainfall due to which the farmers claim to have incurred losses after sowing seeds in their fields.

“After the official declaration of monsoon in the state and advice by authorities concerned, the farmers completed sowing in their fields. But after a few days , rains vanished and the seeds in the fields were deprived of adequate water, resulting in significant losses to the farmers,” said state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, Shailendra Verma while speaking to Free Press. Verma said the major losses so far were being faced by soyabean farmers.

“The farmers have suffered losses of about Rs 2,000-2,500 per acre in the soybean fields due to inadequate rainfall after sowing. In one acre the farmer sows about 40-kg seeds from the sack of seeds weighing one quintal which costs about Rs 5,000. Apart, there is the expenditure in tractor which is used in the sowing process which adds to the losses and makes it Rs 2,000-2,500. And if monsoon is not up to the mark this year then farmers who are already in bad condition would be in neck deep losses,” said Verma adding the main problem was of communication between the farmers and the authorities concerned.

“Regular information about the weather from IMD does not reach farmers effectively. Apart from IMD, important updates from the state agriculture department also don’t reach the farmers. Staffers of the department should reach out to the farmers everyday to guide them. Instead they choose to remain in their offices and draw fat salaries every month,” he added.

IMD, however, said there was nothing to worry as the rain deficit in the initial phase after onset of monsoon would be covered-up in July.

“There is nothing for farmers to worry. So far as of Tuesday there has been 99 per cent rainfall in the state with actual figure of 149.2 mm against normal 151.4 mm. Rains are just delayed for sometime and one has to just wait till then. It would rain 100 per cent and all over the state,” said director, IMD, Anupam Kashyapi. He said in eastern MP, the rainfall had been 7 per cent less at 93 per cent while in western MP, it was 4 per cent more at 104 per cent.

“So far the rainfall in eastern MP has been 159.3 mm against normal benchmark of 171.6 mm. In western MP, the normal is 136 mm but it rained 141.5 mm. Bhopal division has seen the most significant change so far as it has rained 29 per cent less with 109.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 154 mm. In Indore it rained 12 per cent more with 163.5 mm rainfall against the normal of 145.8 mm. In other major areas, Jabalpur saw a per cent less rainfall with 161.8 mm against normal of 163 mm while Gwalior saw 27 per cent more rainfall with 114 mm rain against normal of 89.8 mm rainfall,” said Kashyapi suggesting the farmers this year should go for short and medium duration crops like soyabean and urad.

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