Ranchi, July 3: The heavy rainfall in the state has proved to be a boon for some farmers and a bane for others.

The state has already received 200mm of rainfall more than every year. The Met department has predicted that heavy rains would continue.

While preparations for planting the kharif crop paddy is on in full swing, the standing vegetable crop suffered terribly. This is evident from the high price of vegetables in some of the weekly haats around the state capital.

Except for onions and potatoes, which are within the reach of the common masses at the price of Rs 7-8 per kg, the price of most vegetables is too high. Cauliflower and beans are selling at Rs 20-25 per kg both in Ranchi and in the village haats of Makhmandru, Brambe, Mandar and Ratu.

Earlier, these were priced at Rs 8-10 per kg.

Capsicum, which cost Rs 20-25 earlier, is being sold at Rs 45-48 per kg.

Summer vegetables like parval, bitter gourd (karela) and brinjal are selling at Rs 18-24. Tomatoes earlier available in the haats at Rs 5-6 per kg are now priced Rs 10-16. The standing crops were damaged due to the heavy rainfall.

“Makai aur teekhi hari mirch chhod kar sab gal gaya iss pani mein. Sara khaad aur dawa nuksan ho gaya (Other than corn and green chilli, everything was damaged in the rainwater. Even the pesticides and fertilisers were damaged in the rain),” said farmer Jowra Mahto of Brambe.

With both seeds and fertilisers selling at much higher prices, life is becoming difficult for the farmers.

The price of manure has doubled from Rs 700-800 (a tractor) to Rs 1,500. Paddy seeds are being sold at Rs 180 against Rs 150 last season.

Dr A. Vadood, the chairman of agricultural physics and meteorology, Birsa Agriculture University, said: “Every year on an average the state receives about 350mm of rain but this time it had gone up to 600mm. Such conditions are congenial for kharif crops like paddy, maize, urad, soya and other cereals but the vegetables have been damaged.”

His advice to the farmers is that they should ensure proper drainage when the sky clears.