Crops damaged, productivity likely to take a big hit as heavy rains continue to lash Gujarat
It's a different kind of worry for the farmers of Gujarat as the Monsoon is showing no mood to withdraw. While at the beginning of the season, farmers were worried that delayed onset will cause yet another drought causing agricultural production to drop, now they are worried that continued rains will also reduce their productivity.
Even as Navratri has began, the state is witnessing widespread rains. After raining about 446 mm in August, the state has received 311 mm rains in September so far. The weather department has predicted widespread rains till October 3, with many parts receiving heavy rains as well. This will hamper harvesting, resulting in large scale crop damage, fear farmers.
"Two months ago, everyone was praying for rains to come. Now everyone is praying for rains to stop. The crop in the fields is getting damaged because of waterlogging and excess moisture," said Ramesh Bhoraniya, a farmer of Naranka village of Padadhari taluka of Rajkot district.
There are reports of damage to almost all the crops from practically all the districts in the state. Sagar Rabari, founder president of Gujarat Khedut Ekta Samiti had recently put a post on Facebook urging farmers to contact him with the details of damage to the crops. "Farmers from almost all the districts have complained about the damage," Rabari told DNA.
The most affected is groundnut, especially the batch that was sown early in the season. Its time to harvest but it has to be stored in open, exposed to sunlight. Because of the rains and cloudy weather, farmers are unable to harvest. Now they risk of regermination and decay of the crop. "If we harvest, we have no open place to store. If we don't the crop will be decayed," said Bhoraniya, who has sown groundnut in 25 bigha of land and in another 25 bigha of land, he has sown cotton.
Cotton is also facing similar challenges. It passes through stages of flowering, formation of cotton swag and then the final crop, which is plucked. However, it requires sunlight for growth. "In absence of sunlight, flowering is not getting converted into swags and results in premature dropping. This loss will be severe," said Bhoraniya.
Rabari expects the crop loss of upto 50 per cent. "There are reports of crop loss in castor, cotton and pomegranate in Banaskantha district. The crops of Paddy are also damaged as it could not be harvested because of rains and waterlogging," said Rabari.
In north Gujarat, farmers have harvested Bajra but it has got wet because of rains. The crop will not be fit for even fodder. "You may find that the farm is lush green, but actual production will be very less. This is called Green Drought," he said.
However, unlike the damage caused by drought, there is a consolation that dams, checkdams, wells and other water bodies are brimming with water. This will ensure that farmers will be able to take winter and summer crops. "So in a way it is safe year for farmers. But we have lost the labour done from June to September," said Bhoraniya.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF WORRY
- After raining about 446 mm in August, the state has received 311 mm rains in September so far.
- The most affected is groundnut, especially the batch that was sown early in the season.
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