A five-member central team today visited four of the eight deficient rainfall districts of Odisha and assessed the situation in there.
The team led by Additional Commissioner of Agriculture Ministry R P Malik visited selected areas of Bolangir, Baragarh, Kandhamal and Sonepur districts, where crop loss occurred due to insufficient rainfall.
The team also interacted with the affected farmers.
"We have seen there is extensive damage to paddy cultivation in upland areas and paddy crop production may be reduced in low land," said L Bose, one of the members of the team.
"Our objective is to hold discussion with the farmers and assess the effect of deficit rainfall on the paddy crop. As per our assessment, paddy crop has been affected and in certain places the crop has failed," said Malik.
The team is scheduled to visit Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Khurdha and Boudh districts tomorrow.
The team also comprises senior officials of the Odisha Government and a representative of the ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack. After visiting the areas, the team will hold discussions with the state agriculture director.
The central team came to Odisha after Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took up the matter with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, who has sought a report on the impact of dry spells in Odisha.
