The Ministry of Agriculture publishes a notice to farmers | MorungExpress

A view of paddy fields which have been affected by insufficient rains in Medziphema subdivision under Dimapur district. (Courtesy of the Ministry of Agriculture)

Warns of acute shortfall in foodgrain production

Kohima, July 5 (MExN): The agriculture department of the Nagaland government has issued an advisory to farmers in the state, asking them to prepare their main fields for paddy transplanting by adopting alternative sowing methods.

He also advised farmers to opt for an early crop of Rabi to compensate for the failure of the kharif crop due to persistent drought and lack of rainfall in several parts of the state.

The notice comes after department officials carried out field visits and assessed the ground reality in agricultural areas of Dimapur, Medziphema and Niuland on July 2-3. shortage of rainfall, causing enormous concern at this critical juncture,” the department said in a news release Monday.

Besides, in fields that switched to no-till rice, crop germination was uneven and unhealthy, which will directly affect production and productivity leading to low yield, he added.

In addition to preparing the main fields for paddy transplanting, farmers were advised to adopt the direct seeding method in case the nursery failed due to excessive aging of the seedlings. Farmers were also encouraged to adopt System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and row transplanting, which are more suitable alternatives in times of low rainfall and other unsuitable parameters for paddy cultivation. These methods would grow seedlings in 8 to 12 days, he added. He also recommended farmers to opt for early cultivation of Rabi crops to compensate for the failure of the kharif crop and the resumption of crops.

The department has tasked all district agricultural officers and sub-divisional agricultural officers to assess the state’s agriculture situation to formulate contingency plans, expedite weekly status reports crops and to monitor and assess agro-climatic conditions in addition to providing technical information and inputs. support for farmers.

With the next two weeks being crucial, and if the monsoon rains do not arrive as expected, the state will face a severe shortfall in foodgrain production, he warned.