October rains help the paddy grains bloat up and gain mass. But no rains in the month in almost 30 districts in the state has meant moisture stress for the crop.

“At least 16 of the state’s 30 districts are facing moisture stress leading to semi-drought condition,” said Agriculture Minister Surendranath Nayak.

The districts affected by moisture stress condition are: Balasore, Balangir, Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nowrangpur, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Khurda, Nayagarh, Bargarh and Sundergarh.

Tribal-dominated Malkangiri heads the list of worst-affected districts with 61,560 hectare of land reporting crop loss while Nayagarh came second in the list with 52,060 hectare of land reporting crop loss. Moisture stress condition was felt in most of the hilly regions across the southern and western parts of the state. Even the flood-hit coastal districts was affected.

Worried over crop loss, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked the water resource department to energise all the defunct lift irrigation (LI) points. He also issued orders to facilitate farmers to undertake cultivation in a big way during the rabi season. Farmers who have sustained more than 50 per cent crop loss, will get compensation from the calamity relief fund. According to the CRP norms, the Government will provide a compensation of Rs 4,000 per acre in case of irrigated land and Rs 2,000 in case of non-irrigated land.

Agriculture officials said the withering of crops signalled lack of forage crops for cattle. They said a sharp decline in production of paddy is expected. “The poor monsoon conditions have come at a time when the country is reeling under inflationary conditions caused by rising food and fuel prices. The poor would be hit hard as they make a livelihood through agriculture and related activities,” said a department official.