Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 27
Even though the ‘drought-like situation’ in the state has improved a bit with the late arrival of the monsoon, the average rainfall received by the state till August is 37%.1 percent less. This shortage is exacting toll on the agricultural sector in the low-lying areas of the state especially in Dimapur. Agriculture officials in Dimapur are predicting that food production will not reach even 5% percent of the annual food production in the district.
According to the SDO (Soil) of Dimapur, Hovuto Zhimomi, the state has received 150-180 cm (1500-1800 mm) of rainfall till August, 2009. During normal years, the minimum expected rainfall in Nagaland is 200 cm while the maximum expected rainfall is 250 cm. But this year the scanty rainfall leaves the state with 37.1 percent short rain. However, the monsoon season is expected to go on till September to October. The coming months will determine the annual rainfall received. Nonetheless, the agricultural sector in the state has been severely affected by the deficit.
An agriculture officer in Dimapur said that the deficit and delayed monsoon have severely affected rice cultivation in the foothills of the state. He said Dimapur district is the worst-affected among all the districts.
Last year, the annual food production in Dimapur was 1, 10,000 Metric Tonnes. But this year, the annual food production is expected not to reach even “forty percent” of the expected annual food production, the agriculture official said. He disclosed that there are many plots of lands which were not tilled and have not been planted. Besides, even transplanted rice saplings are unhealthy and are expected to be not so productive.
Saying that Dimapur is the worst-affected by the deficient and delayed monsoon, the official explained that lands in Dimapur areas are mostly sandy and cannot retain much water.
So when it rains, water either drains away quickly or evaporates. The official further disclosed that field staffs have been deputed to different villages and fields to conduct an assessment of the extent of crop damage, the expected yield and the financial losses due to the crop failure. The assessment is expected to be completed by next week and after that the state agriculture ministry would be briefed on the situation in the district. A central team is also expected to visit the state to make an assessment of the crop damage.
It is also learned from reliable sources that even in places like Peren, Jalukie, and Tuensang and Phek rice cultivation, agriculture and allied sectors such as horticulture have been affected. A source in the ATMA of Tuensang informed that ‘90%’ percent of the cardamom plantation in the district has been damaged. ‘Kolar’ (Long beans) is expected to be affected, the source informed, as this is the “big season” for sowing the crop.
The Director of Agriculture Dr Supong Keitzar had informed that the department is closely monitoring the situation in the state. He informed that a little less than fifty percent of the agriculture sector has been affected by the delayed and deficient rain. However, Dr Keitzar asserted that the situation has improved much within the last few weeks after the arrival of the monsoon. He said that in some place, farmers have resorted to drawing water from fishery ponds through water pumps to irrigate the fields. He also disclosed that kharif crops would be affected. “We are closely monitoring it (the situation),” he said.
