SHIVAMOGGA: After losing nearly Rs 1.35 lakh on maize and sweet corn across five acres, Prashanth of Chikkadanavandi village has invested more than Rs 1 lakh in watermelon, hoping for rain to save his next crop.
With the southwest monsoon failing to deliver adequate rainfall, Prashanth, 42, is pinning his hopes on a 70-day watermelon crop. Having spent about Rs 70,000 cultivating maize on 2.5 acres and another Rs 65,000 on sweet corn, Prashanth said the maize crop had failed completely, while the sweet corn yielded only Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000.
“The crop will not yield without rain. If it rains, the crop may survive; otherwise, it will be difficult. We also need water in the borewell, and there is no guarantee of that,” he said.
With little income from the failed crops and existing loans to repay, Prashanth has turned to his family’s gold jewellery to finance the next cultivation cycle. He said he had pledged about three tolas of gold, including his wife’s mangalsutra and other jewellery, to raise money. The money has gone towards meeting cultivation expenses and financing the next crop, even as earlier agricultural debt remains outstanding.
Prashanth lives with his parents, wife and two children, a son and a daughter, who is in Class 2. He has studied up to Class 8.
For the farmer, the short-duration crop offers a narrow window of hope. Watermelon and sweet corn can be harvested in about 70 to 75 days, while maize generally takes around three months. But the shorter cultivation period does not eliminate the risk posed by the lack of rainfall and declining groundwater availability.
“We invest a considerable amount in cultivation. Even preparing the land costs money. If the crop fails, what are we supposed to do? We still need food at home,” Prashanth said.
Prashanth said he usually cultivates maize during the monsoon. Last year, the yield was good enough to recover the cultivation expenses and leave him with some surplus. This year, however, the lack of rain has sharply reduced his prospects.
He depends largely on borewell water for crops such as maize and sweet corn, but the availability of groundwater remains uncertain. The village is also facing concerns over drinking water, he said, adding that even the arrival of rain would not necessarily resolve the problem if borewells remained dry.
The drought has affected several crops in the area, including maize, ragi and paddy. Some farmers have abandoned agricultural work and taken up masonry and other construction jobs to support their families.
The farmer also raised concerns about the rising cost of agricultural inputs. During the conversation, he said the price of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser had increased from around Rs 1,100-Rs 1,150 to about Rs 1,500, adding to the financial burden on cultivators. “Fertilisers are so expensive that it has become difficult to buy them,” he said.
The immediate question is whether the watermelon crop will receive enough rain and groundwater to mature. After investing more than Rs 1 lakh in the new crop, Prashanth has little financial cushion left to absorb another failure.
Thousands of farmers in the district are reeling under financial burden and are uncertain on what the future holds for them due to the prevailing drought condition. According to data obtained from district administration, across the district 43,737 hectares of crops have been damaged, including 40,219 hectares of agricultural crops - led by paddy (22,521 ha) and maize (17,057 ha) - and 3,518 hectares of horticultural produce. All the seven taluks in the district have been declared drought-affected. Of the total hectares of crops affected, 41,203 hectares belong to small farmers, less than two hectares.
The district administration has submitted a joint survey report seeking drought-relief assistance from the state government following severe crop loss during the 2026-27 Kharif season.
Crop damage
Paddy: 22,521 ha (51.5%)
Maize: 17,057 ha (39.0%)
Horticulture: 3,518 ha (8.0%)
Ragi: 627 ha (1.4%)