Deficit rainfall affects agricultural activities in Manipur

IMPHAL — The current trend of deficit rainfall in Manipur has started to affect rain-fed agricultural activities, particularly the paddy plantation.

Manipur receives an average annual rainfall of 1474.3 mm, according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Manipur centre’s record.

However, the state received just 777.3 mm till the end of August (January to August) this year, which is 346.5 mm less than the expected normal rain (1123.8 mm) during the period, according to rainfall data provided by the ICAR, Manipur centre at Lamphelpat in Imphal.

The state recorded 1299.3 mm in 2021 and 1457.7 mm in 2022 mm of rainfall as per the ICAR weather station records.

Changing rain patterns and road construction activities also badly affected the rain-fed agriculture practices in Tamenglong district as per reports available.

As a result, some of the paddy cultivators of Bhalok areas in the hill district have started to look for other livelihood activities in Tamenglong town, locals said.

Deficit rainfall has resulted in a setback to rice transplantation in Ukhrul and some neighbouring villages, according to locals.

As many as 11,694 hectares of paddy fields out of the state’s 1.95 lakh hectares were affected across the state due to deficit rain in the state, according to state agriculture department reports.

Above all, the annual paddy cultivation in Manipur has also been badly affected due to the ongoing ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki communities that started on May 3.

As a result, the farmers are unable to cultivate at least 5,127 hectares of agricultural land in view of the crisis.

However, the functionaries of Irabot Foundation Manipur (IFM), a farmers’ body, had recently claimed that the annual paddy cultivation activities had been severely affected in an area covering around 10,000 hectares of agricultural land in the state.

Considering the present situation, the representatives of the state’s farming bodies have recently expressed serious concern over the failure of monsoon and the present situation created by ongoing unrest. They also urged the government to provide alternative crops for the farmers.

Even President Kh Gopen of IFM, citing the emergence of a drought-like situation in Manipur had recently appealed to the relevant department to announce a special package for farmers.

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