TEHRAN, Iran, Sept. 23
Trend:
Iran's plan to develop and renovate paddy fields in Mazandaran Province has been put on hold, thanks to the coronavirus spread, thus delaying the growing season, Trend reports citing IRNA.
The plan was aimed to develop rice cultivation in north of Iran but the coronavirus spread and lack of funds have affected the plan, and farmers in the Babol County have demanded compensation from the officials.
Thus, the farmers have postponed rice cultivation by 75 days due to delay in the renovation plan and their late access to paddy fields.
The fields were presented by farmers to a contractor of the renovation plan in August 2019 and the contractor started to implement the renovation in February 2020. The fields were ready by June, and this delayed the rice growing season in the new Iranian year (started March 20,2020).
The farmers have faced heavy losses and have not harvested anything in the current Iranian year (started March 20,2020). Some of the farmers could not even cultivate rice for their own consumption and had to purchase it.
The coronavirus spread has postponed the process of cultivation in various regions of Mazandaran province for three weeks. Another major damage was done by the heavy rainfall in the region.