MADIKERI: Rain deficit in Kodagu has hit agricultural activities and paddy cultivation has been taken up in only 39% of the area as of mid-August. In some pockets of southwest and northwest parts of the district paddy cultivation was taken up in the last week of July. But in large areas, transplanting of paddy has not started because of the rain deficit.
Shivprasad, a 61-year-old farmer in Cherambane limits of North Kodagu, said, “For the first time, I am pumping water from a nearby water source to cultivate paddy.” He also had to delay cultivating his nearly four acres of land because of the deficit in rainfall. He was also forced to irrigate his land to sow paddy saplings that were ready in July.
“We depend on rain to grow paddy. If we irrigate the land with pumped water, it seeps out because the soil texture is such and the land is dry soon. I have transplanted paddy seedlings, but I am not sure if they will survive looking at the weather,” he said.
While 80% of farmlands used to be cultivated with paddy by mid-August every year earlier, only 39% of the cultivation target has been achieved this year. With rain deficit in Madikeri and Virajpet taluks, agricultural activities have taken a backseat. In Madikeri, only 1,600 hectares out of 6,000 hectares have been cultivated, achieving only 26% of the target. In Virajpet, it stands 33.7% with 9,793 of 29,000 hectares cultivated.