Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 20: Relentless rains experienced for the last about three weeks have been playing havoc with the lives of the farmers. The paddy yield was good but because of heavy rain, most of the paddy crops have been destroyed. The farmers are witnessing the paddy crops grown by them by putting in money and efforts getting destroyed by rains. The hay, which could have served as fodder for the cattle also has become rotten in the fields.

In this kharif season, 10,073 hectares of land in Dakshina Kannada had been brought under paddy crop while in Udupi, paddy was grown in 35,726 acres of land. Various organizations had taken interest and planted paddy seedlings in over 1,500 hectares of land. The rainfall was good and the harvest seemed to be rich. Comparatively, the problem of pests was less this time and the farmers were hoping to make some money. But just when the farmers were about to harvest the paddy, untimely rain began to pour. Rain has been visiting the fields almost every day. The paddy plants have fallen to the watery fields and got rotten there. In some places, the paddy has even germinated in the fields.

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Even where mechanised harvesting was undertaken, the farmers did not get any money. Rain interfered with the processing of paddy and use of hay. The paddy which was separated from hay could not be dried because of rain. Quality of whatever paddy the farmers got has been adversely affected. Farmers say that in the summer, fodder shortage will hit as most of the hay has got rotten in the fields.

As per the department of agriculture statistics, 72.9 hectares of paddy crop was destroyed till October. Out of them, 40 hectares were from Mangaluru taluk, 2.9 in Bantwal, ten hectares in Moodbidri and 20 hectares in Mulky. There is no information about the other taluks. The farmers however feel that over 2,000 hectares of paddy crop was destroyed in Dakshina Kannada district.

In Udupi district, 86 hectares of paddy crop was damaged due to untimely rain and about 227 farmers have suffered heavy losses. Out of this, 52 hectares were destroyed in Karkala 34 in Kundapur, 46 in Kaup, 28 in Udupi, 21 in Brahmavar, 29 in Hebri and 17 in Byndoor taluk. These farmers have filed applications claiming crop insurance compensation.

Dr Seetha, joint director of agriculture, Dakshina Kannada, says that compensation is payable based on the joint survey conducted by the officer of the joint directors and village accountant and the compensation becomes payable if more than 33 percent crop loss is suffered. Information is collected from farmers, and accounts officers upload information in the software which then is forwarded to the central office through the deputy commissioner. The central office of the department of agriculture checks the information and releases the compensation, she explains.