The thunderstorm and showers on Thursday may have given respite to city slickers facing the scorching heat, but for farmers, it is hardly enough to take the edge of anxiety away.

In four of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh, there has been no rainfall this season. These districts — Hardoi, Deoria, Kushinagar and Sant Ravidas Nagar — form the rice belt of the state.

In 46 districts, rainfall has been nominal and farmers will have to wait to plant paddy. Eleven districts have witnessed average rain. Till date, rainfall has been above average only in three districts of the state. Mordabad has the recorded maximum (244.2 mm) rainfall.

Uttar Pradesh Council for Agriculture Research (UPCAR) director Professor Chandrika Prasad convened a meeting on Wednesday to review the paddy plantation and rainfall situation. The Crop Weather Watch Group will meet again on July 18 to suggest measures for farmers.

The Met office had predicted an average rainfall of 176.5 mm till July 10, but the recorded rainfall was only 92.5 mm — 52.4 per cent of the average.

The Met Department said the monsoon, which arrived at the expected time and began well, suffered in July. Total rainfall from July 1 to July 9 has only been 28 per cent of the average rainfall expected.

Figures available with the Agriculture Department show that only 11 per cent of the targeted cultivation area has been covered with paddy so far.

As per the figures available and rainfall predictions for the coming week, paddy will suffer in most districts.

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