Drought-hit Bihar braces for rice scarcity

PATNA - Bihar is set to face a shortage of rice as paddy output has declined by at least 45 to 50 percent due to this year’s drought, an official said Monday.

An official of the state agriculture department said that as of now, paddy output appears to be less than 50 percent of the average, which is bad news for farmers as well as the state administration.

The drought has affected hundreds of thousands of people, particularly farmers, for the second consecutive year.

Bihar normally produces 45 to 50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy every year. This year’s output is likely to be less than 30 lakh metric tonnes. Last year’s paddy production stood at 34 lakh metric tonnes.

“Unlike a normal year, this year paddy sowing was only 68 percent. The crop has been sown in 24 lakh hectares against the target of 35.50 lakh hectares,” the official said.

“In view of the expected paddy shortfall, the state government is planning to provide relief to farmers and has asked for a report from all the districts to take a final decision,” he added.

The government currently has reports from 22 of 38 districts, including Patna, Nawada, Buxar and Muzaffarpur.

In August, the Bihar government declared all the 38 districts to be drought-hit due to a rainfall deficit of nearly 25 percent. Inadequate rains had badly hit paddy sowing and transplantation in most of the districts except Araria, East and West Champaran.

Over a dozen districts in Magadh and Patna divisions were worst hit. Last year, the government declared 26 districts to be drought-hit.