Siliguri/Cooch Behar, Aug. 21: The ongoing drought may lead to a 25 to 30 per cent shortfall in foodgrain produced in the region, statistics available with the agricultural directorate of north Bengal indicate.

The abysmally low rainfall in almost all the districts of the region (see chart) could not have come at a worse time, say experts, as this is the peak season for jute harvest and paddy cultivation.

“As far as planting paddy is concerned, 58 per cent of the total area has been covered while 62 per cent of jute has been harvested so far in north Bengal. The rest cannot be harvested as the water bodies, where the stalks are fermented for fibres, have dried up,” said Sarthak Burma, the additional director of agriculture posted in Jalpaiguri.

“In the districts of Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, the average yield per hectare is around 2,600 kg while in the two Dinajpurs and Malda, the figure is around 3,500 kg. However, the yield is bound to decrease this season if the weather continues to be unfavourable over the next 10 days,” Burma said. In Cooch Behar, sabhadhipati of the zilla parishad Gyanendra Chandra Chanda said 1,156 mouzas of the district have been affected by the drought, damaging crops worth nearly Rs 315 crore.

Tea planters, facing similar problems, have written to the chief minister for relief.

The grim predictions have registered with the state government, with food minister Paresh Adhikary describing the situation as “alarming”.

“The government, apart from allotting funds (the Rs 47-crore relief package), has convened an emergency meeting in Cooch Behar on Wednesday to discuss the issue,” the minister said over phone.

Adhikary, who will be present at the meet with four other ministers, outlined some of the proposals that are likely to be discussed on that day.

“There are plans to hand over seeds or saplings of some alternative crop instead of paddy, which the farmers can cultivate in the current season to tide over their loss,” he said. “There is also a proposal to waive a portion of the crop-loan disbursed among farmers by the state cooperative department a few weeks ago.”

Other relief plans are also in the offing. In Jalpaiguri, district magistrate R. Ranjit presided over a special district consultative committee meet attended by officials of Nabard and other bankers.

“At the meet, it was decided that bank loans disbursed to farmers in 555 mouzas of the district will be rescheduled,” said M. Jha, the district development manager of Nabard posted at Jalpaiguri.