Ranchi: Recent widespread rainfall and hailstorms have devastated Jharkhand‘s agricultural sector, leaving farmers grappling with extensive crop damage and significant financial losses. The adverse weather conditions have destroyed months of hard work and investment, particularly affecting small-scale farmers in the region.
During a field visit to Boreya, in the outskirts of Ranchi, TOI witnessed the widespread destruction first-hand. The area, where residents primarily depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood, has been severely impacted by the recent weather events.
While state agriculture minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey has announced compensation for affected farmers, many remain sceptical about receiving timely and adequate support. The farmers’ doubts stem from previous unfulfilled promises of governmental assistance.
Dashmi Devi, a local farmer, stated, “Two and a half months of hard work were destroyed in just two days. The hailstorms damaged approximately one quintal of tomatoes and seven to eight quintals of cabbages.”
Another farmer, Giridhar Mahto, who cultivates okra, cabbage, and tomatoes on roughly one acre of land, said, “We typically sell our produce in nearby markets, with cabbages fetching Rs 10 per piece and tomatoes at Rs 5 per kilogram. This rain has been catastrophic for our business.” Mahto also voiced scepticism about the promised compensation, noting that previous governmental assurances had not materialized.
Taking action on the situation, minister Tirkey announced on social media that she has directed circle officers and block development officers across all five blocks of the Mandar assembly constituency to assess and report crop damage within three days. The minister, after consulting with disaster management minister Irfan Ansari, urged farmers to promptly submit necessary documentation related to their crop losses to their respective block officials.
The agriculture department’s assistant director, Sawan Kumar, confirmed that a comprehensive assessment of crop damage is currently underway, though not yet complete. The evaluation will help determine the extent of losses and guide compensation efforts.
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