Women at work in their field in Baliapur block in Dhanbad.(Gautam Dey)

Dhanbad, Sept. 6: There is more grim news in store for drought-hit farmers of the district.

After managing to sow only 35 per cent of their paddy crop, the farmers, who had hoped to cover some of their losses through alternative crops, have now been left reeling by the dry spell over the last 11 days.

“The recent dry spell is likely to affect cultivation of alternative crops as well,” said district agriculture officer Satyendra Kumar Singh, adding that the district had received only 5.5mm rainfall in the first five days of September, while in August, rainfall was 75 per cent of normal.

Singh said of the total 68,000 hectares cultivable land in the district, only 18,865 hectares of land could be utilised because of lack of rains. While maize fared better than other crops, with 82 per cent of the target being cultivated, paddy and oilseeds cultivation was the worst affected.

Speaking about the administration’s plans to cope with the situation, Singh said seeds of alternative crops like niger and urad, which have long shelf lives, have been distributed in all the eight blocks of the district. Horse gram and tori have also been distributed at concession rates.

“Instead of the original rate of Rs 7,200 per quintal, farmers can procure maize seeds at Rs 1,800 per quintal,” said Singh, adding that green gram, urad, horse gram, tori and niger can be procured at Rs 2,625, Rs 1,800, Rs 1,920, Rs 1,400 and Rs 1,820 per quintal as against the original rate of Rs10,500, Rs 7,200, Rs 7,680, Rs 5,600 and Rs 7,280 per quintal.

“Farmers are also being trained in cultivation of alternative crops in each panchayat,” said the agriculture officer. He added that training in a new method of rice cultivation, known as system of rice intensification (SRI), has also been imparted to farmers with the help of experts from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Baliapur.

However, the farmers could not take advantage of the SRI system due to the scanty rainfall.

“Rain has been almost nil in the district since August 26,” said Singh adding that Baliapur block was the worst-affected in the district.

Though Tundi, Topchanchi and Govindpur had fared better.