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The state Agriculture Department was caught off guard when the drought struck. And now that the state has received extensive rain over the last three days, the department has failed the farmers once again.

The rain has made the conditions ideal for sowing the late kharif crops. But the seed grains that were to be distributed to farmers as a drought-relief measure, will not reach them in time.

The grains were to be distributed as mini-kits, each containing two to three kg seeds of the late-sowing and low-water intensity crops — millets, pulses and oilseeds. Besides small and marginal farmers, those who had failed to sow paddy or had their crop damaged due to scanty rainfall, were entitled to these.

As per the original schedule, the seeds for the mini-kits were to be procured by the Agriculture Department by August 14. Now the date has been extended to August 30. The mini-kits will reach the farmers by the third week of September after laboratory tests for germination, purity and physical quality.

"The delay is going to deprive the drought-hit farmers the benefit of the current wet spell and the distribution of mini kits will be of little use to them," said O P Agnihotri, former state advisor to the National Food Security Mission programme. "The seeds of three pulses, Arhar, Moong and Tur, and two millets like Jwar and Bajra, should be sowed latest by August 30. Only Toria (an oilseed), can be sowed till mid-September, but it has not been included in the mini-kit."

The Agriculture Department, however, has a counter-argument.

"Had we supplied the seeds before the rains in August, it would have gone waste," said Rajit Ram Verma, Director of Agriculture. Now there is sufficient moisture in the fields, which will ensure proper germination of the seeds.

"It is the mandate of the UP Seeds Corporation to procure and supply the seeds to us," he said, "our job is to distribute the seeds to the farmers." The mini-kits are to be distributed to over 13 lakh farmers in 58 drought-hit districts and the list of beneficiaries is ready.

The seed, he said, is not available in the market and it is an uphill task for the UP Seeds Corporation to procure it, he said.

The state government has provided Rs 27.23 crore for the mini-kit programme. The progress of the distribution was reviewed on Monday and the department has been directed to expedite the process, said Chief Secretary Atul Gupta. "As per the estimates of the Agriculture Department, the rains will help improve the productivity of the paddy crop. Against the earlier estimate of loss of 40 per cent, it is now estimated to be 30 per cent."

Against the total coverage of 92 lakh hectares under the kharif crops, the share of paddy was targeted to be 60 lakh hectares, which is now estimated to be close to 40 lakh hectares.

As a result, rice production is set to nosedive from 131 lakh MT last year.

Despite the rains in August, the deficiency in rainfall remains at an alarming 46.5 per cent. Against an average rainfall of 527 mm between June 1 and August 17, the state has received only 282 mm.

Central team surveys areaAn 11-member Central team arrived to take stock of the damage caused by poor rainfall. After meeting officials, the team left for a field tour of the state. It will visit around 30 districts in next two days and submit a report to the Union Agriculture Ministry next week. The state government presented a "drought mitigation package" to the team, and demanded the sanction of a special package of Rs 8,939 crore.

Virendra Nath Bhatt