Farm production in one of India ?s largest foodgrain growing state of Uttar Pradesh has come under a cloud after the administration declared that almost two-thirds of the state is reeling under drought.
Officials said 47 out of the 71 districts in Uttar Pradesh has received deficient rains this year, jeopardising kharif crop prospects, especially of paddy, which is the mainstay of the state?s economy.
Similarly, production of pulses, oilseeds and sugarcane, the other major kharif crops of the state, could also be impacted because of low rains, officials added.
While the total foodgrain production in the state in the 08-09 period stood at 45.42 million tonne, up from the 07-08 production of 42.09 million tonne, of which around 17.5 million tonne was sown during the kharif season, sown in over an area of 92 lakh hectare in 08-09.
However, officials believe that this year, the situation will be quite different. The inordinate dry spell in most parts of the state or scanty rainfall in some pockets has led to almost 50% less crop coverage than last year.
Take the case of paddy. While last year, it was sown over an area of 6 million hectares and had yielded 131 lakh tonne, this year, the area under cultivation has been revised to 5.2 million hectares and the lofty target of bettering last year?s produce to 150 lakh tonnes has now been scaled down to less than 50 lakh tonnes, almost 60% less.
?The only relief now would be to provide farmers with free-of-cost, short duration variety seeds for paddy, pulses and other kharif crops, like bajra, soya, jowar as well as pulses and oilseeds. With a lot of time having been lost, only such seeds can give some respite,? says a senior official of the state agriculture department.
In fact, the state government, has on its part, asked the Centre to make the short duration variety seeds (certified seeds) and the Centre, on Monday, issued it permission to buy seeds worth Rs 30 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and distribute them to the farmers.
The paltry rain is also threatening the sugarcane crop, which will be facing a consecutive second year of a steep decline in the cane area. Uttar Pradesh, which is the second largest sugar producer after Maharashtra, is likely to face an 11% drop in sugarcane production. To add to the woes of a weak monsoon and scanty rainfall, the farmers are also bridled with the fact that most natural water bodies such as canals, lakes and ponds, which are used to irrigate the fields, are fast drying up.
In an effort to aid the suffering farmers, the chief minister has directed that the realization of outstanding dues in the drought-hit districts be stayed till March 31, 2010 and has also directed officials to keep a close watch on the situation of rainfall in other districts and immediately declare an area drought-hit if it fulfils the criteria.
Chief minister Mayawati has also demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announce special packages for the backward Bundelkhand region and eastern UP, which have been worst hit by drought.
Demanding that Centre cooperate in accelerated development of the state, she said proposals made in Rs 80,000 crore package submitted by the state should be sanctioned.