Rain causes significant damage to standing crops in West Sikkim

KUSH HANG LEEWANG

GEYZING,: The continuous rain over the past three days have caused significant damage to standing crops, especially paddy, in different parts of West Sikkim. The most affected areas are rural Lingchom, Salley, Lungjik, Upper and Lower Bhaluthang, Lower Geyzing, Toyang and Rungdu.

At many places, the unseasonal, relentless and excessive rains of the past three days have flattened the paddy fields, destroying the crops beyond recovery. Even buckwheat and local millet crops, which are usually resilient to rain, have suffered damage at Lingchom. Some farmers described the rainfall as acidic in nature, claiming that within three days, most of the crops were entirely damaged.

“My ginger and okra (ladyfinger) fields are almost wiped out,” said a farmer.

Some farmers around Toyang were seen trying to raise their fallen crops upright by providing necessary support. Generally, paddy bears fruit during September and October before the ripening and harvest season. Rain during the fruiting and ripening period not only damages the crop but also negatively affects productivity, resulting in loss for the farmers.

Farmers from Salley reported that many families involved in paddy cultivation have suffered huge losses this year as their crops were damaged by rain. They claimed that within a few days, the hard work of an entire year was ruined, and the paddy crops that had started to bear fruit now lie flat and waterlogged in the fields.

Similarly, farmers from Toyang, Rungdu and Lungjik expressed concern over the crop damage and the possibility of losing their money invested in paddy farming.

“The paddy production this year will get largely affected as many paddy cultivating regions have faced the brunt of rains. The lack of production means the cost will also go higher in the market this year. We hope that the investment in the paddy cultivation will not get completely drained," said C.K. Sharma, a farmer.

Another factor likely to contribute to an uneven rise in the price of locally grown paddy, which has been gradually increasing in demand, is that many farmers engaged in paddy cultivation had to abandon their plantations earlier this year due to a lack of rainfall during the peak paddy planting season. Most farmers from higher reaches either refrained from paddy cultivation due to insufficient rainfall and lack of rain-fed water sources, or they planted very late.

“Many farmers gave up paddy farming this year due to lack of rain and those invested may not gain as expected due to sudden unseasonal rain at the time prior to harvest. Paddy waits season, yields season and reap season; but we are unfortunate this season,” said a farmer from Lungjik.

Some officials from the concerned department stated that farmers fail to insure their crops despite being aware of the benefits of such insurance schemes initiated by the State as well as the Central government.

“The farmers despite being informed about many insurance policies and facilities for their crops and plethora of benefits they can avail, they never insure their crops,” said an official from the concerned department.

However, the farmers who have suffered the brunt of rain-triggered damage to their crops, especially paddy cultivation, remain hopeful of the State government's assistance in their time of need.

“Crops are insured or not, we believe that the State government will rescue us anyhow from the loss we suffered,” said a farmer from Bhaluthang.