The delayed and weak monsoon this year has raised a sense of concern and despair among the farmers in the State. The rainfall on average has been 16 per cent below normal in the State and 24 districts have received deficient rainfall, putting farm activities to doldrums.
Though the southwest monsoon that reached Odisha on June 17 and had already advanced to all 30 districts, the rainfall pattern was not vigourous. Excepting Bargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur, it was weak and inadequate in the remaining districts.
According to official sources, as against the normal 315.2 mm rainfall during the last 39 days in the State, the actual rainfall received was only 265.9 mm, taking the deviation to 15.6 per cent despite the fact that during the last 9 days the State had received on an average 7.4 per cent above normal rainfall. However, during the period, 11 of the 30 districts received rainfall below par.
If the monsoon continues to be weak in the next fortnight, there may be serious problem in farm activities.
As per the statement showing district-wise cumulative actual average rainfall during June 1 to July 9, 2012, as many as 24 districts received deficient rainfall, which has been scattered.
Interestingly, during the current monsoon, the coastal regions are the worst sufferers with deficient margin while it has been higher than that of the southern, northern, western and central regions.
If the monsoon continues to be weak in the next fortnight, there would be serious problem in farm activities.
The coastal districts where the rainfall is below normal include Baleswar (-52 per cent), Bhadrakh ( -33.2 per cent), Puri (-33 per cent), Kendrapada (-31 per cent), Jagatsinghpur ( -30.3 per cent), Jajpur (-28 per cent), Ganjam (-17.6 per cent) and Khorda (-8.5 per cent).
However, the areas with deficient rainfall below normal over 20 per cent include Deogarah (-41 per cent), Keonjhar (-34.4 per cent), Nuapada (-35.4 per cent), Koraput (-34 per cent), Mayurbhanj (-29 per cent), Sundargarh (-24.5 per cent) and Rayagada (-23.6 per cent).
