Paddy cultivation in the doldrums as rain plays truant

While several farmers have bid farewell to paddy cultivation, some are carrying it out, despite the shortcomings. Several others, have restarted paddy transplantation at their fields, which were left barren for many years now.

The dearth of rains in the second month of the monsoon has worried the farmers. There has been no rain during the entire week, except on Saturdays and Sundays. It was a cloudy weather but drizzled frequently.

The district which has a hilly terrain, receives rain generally in the month of July. But as the monsoon has been weak this time, many farmers did not carry out the transplantation. Traditional farmers who had prepared themselves for the work, are taken aback due to insufficient rains.

The farmers said that if there was no rain or very less rain after the transplantation, it will prove detrimental to the crop.

Labourers kept themselves engaged in the transplantation work in the paddy fields belonging to Biddatanda family. The ploughing work was done using tillers and tractors when the rains receded. Women workers transplanted the paddy seedlings. Workers from Assam have been employed at many fields in the region.
 
Agriculturist Biddatanda Thammaiah said that during earlier years, there was no dearth of water as it rained continuously. But, this time, the farmers are worried due to less rains. The long-term varieties of paddy cannot be cultivated in this kind of weather, he said

The fields which were left barren for many years are being levelled and ploughed, to cultivate paddy despite high cost, he added

Agriculturist M M Narendra from Mooteri said that the paddy transplantation has been done on time, but the rain has been most irregular. There can be severe shortage of water if there is no proper rainfall, he added.