27-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Paddy growers make kharif cultivation preparation as rains come early in Sundargarh
ROURKELA: With more than average rainfall in May and indication of an early monsoon onset, farmers across Sundargarh district have begun preparing agricultural land with the hope to initiate sowing in appropriate time.
Against the normal rainfall for 41.4 mm in May, the district received, over the past 25 days, 92.6 mm showers making agricultural land suitable for ploughing. After the Akshay Tritiya festival, land preparation begun sporadically which gained momentum over the past fortnight in all blocks.
Sources said, during the 2024 kharif crop season, both pre and post paddy farming activities were pushed back by two to three weeks over delayed arrival of monsoon. It was followed by 43 per cent and 45 per cent deficit rainfall in June and July respectively.
Sisir Rout, a farmer of Bargaron block, said there was good rainfall five days ago and farmers across the block have been preparing their paddy fields. He added that some farmers with assured irrigation support have already started nursery raising.
'With anticipation of early arrival of monsoon, a section of the farmers are ready to start direct sowing and nursery raising from first week of June, while others may adopt wait and watch approach and would start preliminary farming activities from second and third weeks,' he added.
