Drought and now pest attacks: Double danger stalks Odisha's rice fields, its farming mainstay -Priya Ranjan Sahu

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A severe shortage of government-distributed pesticides aggravated the crop loss from attacks by brown planthoppers.

A twin calamity has struck farmers in Odisha in recent weeks. A moderate to severe drought has affected paddy crops on more than 3.1 lakh hectares of land in over 6,000 villages across 15 districts. In addition, an attack by brown planthoppers – insects that feed on rice plants – has destroyed paddy fields on 1.7 lakh hectares in 8,211 villages across nine districts. The damage has been aggravated by a severe shortage of pesticides.

According to official reports, at least eight small and marginal farmers across the state have killed themselves since the season’s first suicide death was reported from Bargarh district on October 25. Known as the “rice bowl” of Odisha, Bargarh accounted for six of the deaths. The people who killed themselves are thought to have suffered crop losses and had significant debts.

Agriculture is the main occupation for more than 75% of people in Odisha. Of them, 85% are small and marginal farmers with average landholdings of one acre to three acres.

The drought prompted state revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty to announce relief measures on October 25. These included crop loss assistance of Rs 13,500 per hectare for irrigated areas and Rs 6,800 per hectare for non-irrigated areas. He also waived loans for the kharif (summer) crop and tuition fees for students in affected areas while promising fresh loans for the rabi (winter) season that commenced on October 1.

Last Monday, he announced the same relief package for farmers who had lost their crops to the attack by brown planthoppers, along with subsidies on the purchase of pesticides, sprayers and pump sets.

In addition, agriculture secretary Sourabh Garg wrote to the collectors of 22 districts directing them to take up pest control measures. “Wide publicity on pest management measures to be done in local radio and print media,” he said. “Farmers may seek advice from Kissan Call Centre and seek specialist advice from experts of the directorate of agriculture.”

Lack of preparedness

But these measures have come a little late.

After a poor monsoon, the state government was prepared for drought. Officials from the revenue, agriculture and other departments were sent to villages to access the situation. But it was not prepared for the pest attack – although this is not an uncommon phenomenon in Odisha.

Many farmers claimed they had reported to agriculture officials in their areas as early as the last week of September that the insect attacks were spreading. They were then told that there were no stocks of pesticides.

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