New Delhi, The delayed monsoon made sure that farmers in Jharkhand could not crop paddy on more than 50-60 percent of their regular paddy area and in many places cropping was less than 30 per cent. Nature once gain played spoilsport when harvest was to begin.
Cyclone associated rains brought unseasonal showers over the eastcentral part of the country including Jharkhand which is expected to loose 15-20 percent of the standing paddy in the fields. The heavy rains in the last few days will have adverse impact on standing paddy crop, especially those which were to be harvested within next few days. Rain has also affected the vegetable crops. The plants that were recently germinated have been harmed by this unseasonal rain.
Cyclonic rain has also affected early sown paddy crops in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. East and West Godavari districts have been most affected. In upper Godavari, farmers have sown cotton instead of paddy due to delayed monsoon. But, the recent rain is expected to hit the cotton crops at a time when flowers in the crops have started blooming.
Good news for the farmers is that rain is expected to stop during the next 24 hours as the cyclonic formation is over. The sky will become clear at most places after this period.
