Jharkhand farmers stare at uncertainty as winter rain deficit hits Rabi crops

Scanty rainfall since last year has already impacted Rabi crop sowing, with 35% of the total arable land lying fallow

Farmers in Jharkhand, who are yet to recover from the losses incurred during the Kharif season drought, are staring at uncertainty again amid the acute winter rain deficit which is adversely affecting Rabi crops, said officials.

The State received a mere 0.3mm of rainfall against the normal average of 41.3mm from November 1 to February 16, according to the weather department.

"Jharkhand faced 100% rain deficit in November, January and February. The situation was slightly better in December with 96% deficit," said a weather department official.

Scanty rainfall since last year has already impacted Rabi crop sowing, with 35% of the total arable land lying fallow, data shared by the agricultural department revealed.

Rabi crops are usually sown from October to December. In Jharkhand, the exercise continues till mid-January.

"The State recorded 25% surplus rainfall in October but thereafter the weather remained almost dry. Jharkhand did not experience any rain after December 26 last year," said the in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, Abhishek Anand.

In the last phase of the monsoon season, the State had received copious rain, prompting the government to increase the target area for Rabi crop sowing to over 15 lakh hectares this year, noted Mukesh Sinha, the deputy director of state agriculture department.