Lack of rainfall : Drought fear in Balangir district

Following report is from The Pioneer:

Crucial operations for the Kharif paddy cultivation like transplanting and beushaning (blind cultivation) have come to a standstill in Balangir district due to the lack of rainfall since the first week of August. There is a threat of drought here.

Most agricultural lands in the district are upland where paddy is sown by the broadcasting method. Agriculture official sources said that broadcasting of paddy cultivation has been taken up in 1,01,100 hectare of land. However, shortage of rainfall has affected beushaning.

Similarly, in Bahal (low land), transplanting has to be taken up in 77,000 hectares of land, but the absence of rain has affected the operation. The transplanting process has been completed only in 60 per cent of the Bahal land.

A few days ago, Bongomunda and Titilagarh blocks received good rain. However, there has been no rainfall in Patnagarh and Balangir blocks, said an agriculture official. Unless there is rainfall within the next seven days, the crop situation, first of all, in uplands would be really precarious. As such, 30 per cent of upland has not been covered at all, he pointed out.

If the prolonged dry spell continues, it may result in drought, said the agriculture official. As farmers point out, in previous years they used to complete all operations, including transplanting and beushaning by Shravan Purnima as there was hardly any problem of rain. The number of continuous rainy days, locally known as Jhadi Barsha, is absent this year.

There seems to be a drought-like situation. The district administration should prepare contingency plans for this, said president of the Zilla Krushak Mahasnagh Sudhir Parischha.

With the monsoon playing hide-and-seek, farmers are worried to save their crops while a few of them expect formation of low pressure to end the dry spell.

Balangir district launches special campaign to boost maize production

Following is a report from The Pioneer:

With a special drive under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) assisted by Monsanto India under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, the maize production in the district is all set to get a boost.

The special drive has been taken up in 2,250 hectares of land in the district this year.

Maize is a 100-110-day duration crop grown in well-drained sandy soil and Attland. The crop, cultivated in the Kharif season, is sown in June and cultivated mostly in Degoan, Saintala, Muribahal, Titiligarh, Patnagarh, Khaprakhol and Belpada blocks.

Maize crop is being promoted as a cash crop in view of a large number of poultry farms located here in the district besides the local consumption and other purposes.

The Mosanto India Company will provide extension support like training to farmers, field demonstration and exposure visits.

The Government is providing a financial assistance of Rs 4,000 besides seeds.

To boost the maize production, two varieties Double and Prabal, developed by Monsanto, are being used which can give productivity of 40 quintals per hectare, informs an agriculture official.

The Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) in capacity of Project Director of Agriculture Technology and Management Agency (ATMA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on behalf of the State Government with the company.

The earlier production of maize in the district was less in the absence of ‘improved practices’, which includes better soil preparation, use of hybrid seed, better use of fertilisers.

The farmers were cultivating composite variety and production was around 13 quintals per hectare.

With better field monitoring, training, exposure, use of hybrid seed and applications of proper fertiliser dose, we are expecting the maize production to go up to 20 quintals per hectare this year, informed the agriculture official.

However, it has a potential of yielding 40 quintals per hectare, the official added.

Maize cultivation under the special drive has been taken up in three GPs Upperjhar, Mahalei and Mukundpur of Degaon block.

So far, in 60 hectares of the targeted 400 hectares has been taken, informed Assistant Agriculture Officer Jagabandhu Putel over phone.

The special drive is scheduled to be taken up in 600 hectares in Saintala block, the official sources said.

Balangir has a large market for maize besides local consumption in view of concentration of a large number of poultry firms.

As per a rough estimate, around 1,90,000 eggs are produced in Balangir district daily.

Moreover, the Monsanto Company has also assured to purchase the product and a nodal officer has been appointed to look in the cultivation of maize under this programme.