Rains add to farmers’ woes

10 January 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 10 JAN: Unseasonal rain and hailstorms have dashed the hopes of farmers living in West Midnapore, who were expecting bumper harvests of potatoes, mustard, and vegetables before the beginning of the boro season.
Thousands of farmers already trapped in debt because of the government's delayed paddy procurement are now in even more trouble. The past five days of rain have damaged crops across large parts of the district; complaints have been pouring in from villages in Keshpur, Garbeta, and Ghatal blocks. Then downpours and hail lashed parts of the district Sunday night. The main worry in West Midnapore, the state's largest potato-producing district, is that all the rain might cause an outbreak of disease in the standing crops. This could not only hurt crop quality, but also affect output, according to a district horticulture department official.
“Further extension of the wet spell could mean trouble for potato cultivators in the entire belt,” the official said, adding that the weather forecast calls for rain again Tuesday. “If the situation continues, things may get worse as there will be heavy moisture content in the soil, which will harm the crop. Then the loss may go up to almost 40 per cent. But if things get better and there is no more rain, the loss will be limited to 10-15 per cent.” Mr Amaresh Maity, a farmer who cultivated potatoes at Narajole in Keshpur area said: “Places where the soil is unable to absorb water will see more damage. The moisture in the soil will lead to the shrinkage of leaves, thereby affecting the life-cycle of the plant. In such cases, the loss will be as bad as 50 per cent.” Another farmer, Mr Kamal Patra, from Garbeta, said the new crop is expected in February. “The next week is very crucial,” he said. Mr Biswanath Samanta, a farmer from Keshpur, said his mustard plants were destroyed completely in the hailstorms Sunday night.
The leaders of the CPI-M peasant wing, Krishak Sabha, have demanded a survey of the damage caused to the crops by the rain ~ and appropriate compensation for affected farmers. West Midnapore district magistrate Surendra Gupta said an assessment is underway. “Rain and hailstorms have damaged crops in most parts of the district and I have asked block officials to estimate the loss due to untimely rains and hailstorms,” he said.