Drought situation might hit Rabi crop

Banda, Dec 17 (UNI) The drought situation for the fourth consecutive year is likely to adversely affect Rabi production this year.

Thousands of hectares of agricultural land is lying unutilised due to no rainfall and lack of irrigation facilities.

The agriculture department had fixed a target of land coverage for the Rabi crops, but the actual land coverage was lesser than the fixed target, which might affect the crop production this year.

A target of 1.27 lakh hectares land coverage target was kept for wheat, but only 22,000 hectares could be covered, sources said here.

Similarly, 1,360 hectares, 12,000 hectares, 2,000 hectares were targetted for barley, gram and peas respectively, but only 950 hectares, 6,500 hectares and 260 hectares respectively could be covered.

Agriculture deputy director V P Srivastava said the district recieved no rainfall and it also lacks irrigation facilties. ''The department is working towards it.'' He, however, denied the shortage of seeds.

UNI