After hail destroyed corn plants in the Melauli region last week, farmers are searching for seeds and re-sowing corn.
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Last week, hailstorms caused major damage to corn and vegetables in Shivnath Municipality of Melauli and Pancheshwor Rural Municipality. Of these three local levels, Melauli was the most damaged by hailstorms.
The hailstorm that hit the fields turned the fields black, leaving only the newly sprouted corn plants. After the hailstorm turned the fields barren, farmers are now sowing corn for the second time. Farmers who were preparing to harvest corn are facing problems as they are forced to sow again. Some farmers are struggling to find seeds again.
Karan Bhatta, a farmer from Melauli, said that he is sowing corn for the second time after the hailstorm destroyed the corn that had barely sprouted and had 4 ears in his field. ‘After the hail covered the fields like snow, the corn plants did not survive,’ he said, ‘We are sowing a second time after the fields became barren.’ Locals who had previously sown corn with oxen and tractors are now digging and sowing by hand in the hope that stubble will grow on the old plants. Farmers are worried about a drop in production due to the hail. Farmers say that production will be lower in years when the soil is compacted by hail.
The District Administration Office has sent a letter to the municipality to provide details of the damage caused by the hail. After the administration’s letter, the municipality is finally working on collecting details of the damage.
Mayor Bhim Bahadur Chand said that although the municipality will provide compensation for the roofs of houses and schools being blown off, it will not provide relief to farmers for the damage caused by the hail. He said that the details collected by the municipality will be sent to the district administration and if any relief comes from above, it will be distributed.
