Severe Hailstorm Devastates Dibrugarh Farmlands, Farmers in Distress
Impact of Hailstorm on Dibrugarh's Agriculture
The extensive crop losses have left farming families anxious about their immediate future, particularly those who depend almost entirely on agriculture for their livelihood
Dibrugarh, Nov 12: A sudden hailstorm has wreaked havoc across significant areas of farmland in Dibrugarh district, resulting in substantial losses for numerous farming families.
Fields of mature paddy, mere weeks from harvest, have been severely damaged, alongside other crops, particularly in nine villages within the Sessughat Agricultural Circle of Moran Revenue Circle.
The hailstorm has particularly devastated paddy fields, where the mature crops were struck by hailstones, leading to the wilting of grain-bearing stalks and the collapse of standing plants. For farmers who were looking forward to a fruitful harvest, this unexpected destruction has turned their months of effort into a heartbreaking loss.
A preliminary evaluation by the Agriculture Department indicates that approximately 245.5 hectares of farmland belonging to 265 farming families across nine revenue villages in the Sessughat Agricultural Development Officer (ADO) Circle have been impacted.
The most significant damage has occurred in Sali paddy, affecting 208 hectares. Additionally, 18.5 hectares of rabi vegetables and 19 hectares of other crops have also been reported as damaged.
The village of 4 No Hunghungia has experienced the most severe impact, with 119 hectares of farmland affected, followed by 1 No Hunghungia with 59 hectares and 1 No Mautoni with 28 hectares. Other villages reporting damage include 2 No Hunghungia (20 hectares), 3 No Hunghungia (6 hectares), Naharani Sonowal (6 hectares), 2 No Lukumai (5 hectares), Haladhibari Na-Gaon (2 hectares), and Goroimari (0.5 hectares).
The extensive crop losses have left many farming families worried about their future, especially those who rely heavily on agriculture for their income.
Kusha Dihingia, a farmer from 4 No Hunghungia Kordoiguri village, shared that nearly 90% of his paddy crop has been lost, along with damage to his rabi crops.
“Paddy and rabi crops are our only sources of livelihood. We have families and children to care for, and with such extensive damage, we are at a complete loss. It is deeply distressing to see months of hard work destroyed overnight. We hope the government will understand our plight and extend the necessary assistance,” he expressed.
In addition to paddy farming, the Khowang region's farmers also cultivate rabi vegetables and betel leaf (paan), with several hectares of these crops reportedly affected as well.
In response to the situation, Khowang Co-District Commissioner Sabarna Sonowal has instructed Revenue Department officials to conduct a thorough assessment of the impacted areas.
Meanwhile, Sessughat ADO Gyanpradeep Borgohain has dispatched Agriculture Extension Assistants and other field personnel to carry out a detailed evaluation of the crop losses.
This assessment aims to ascertain the full extent of the damage and assist eligible farmers in obtaining financial aid through input subsidies from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
The department is also exploring the possibility of extending benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), where applicable.
The field assessment is ongoing, and the department plans to include any additional damage identified during the survey, Borgohain noted.