Rain damages paddy crops

By Our Correspondent, Kalikot, Oct. 31: Paddy crops in several parts of Kalikot district have been damaged by rainfall after farmers failed to harvest and store their produce in time despite receiving advance information about the approaching rain.

Farmers had received information about rainfall beginning October 29 around 10 days in advance. Believing that they could bring in their paddy harvest by October 29, many rushed to their fields. However, differences in harvesting schedules and a shortage of labour meant that a considerable amount of paddy was left exposed to the rain.

Mahesh Pharsal of Raskot Municipality-1 said that despite their efforts to harvest quickly, nearly half of his field's paddy crop was affected by the rain. He said that almost all villagers entered their fields to harvest paddy at the same time, but they could not save their crops due to a shortage of workers. 

Farmers with smaller fields managed to complete the harvesting, while those who decided to wait for clearer weather, believing that the rain would not cause much damage to standing ripe paddy, were in a relatively better position.