Farmers worry over scanty rainfall

Deficit rain in Shivamogga district halts paddy cultivation, agri dept suggests alternative crops

SHIVAMOGGA: With no rains across the district, the farmers of Sorab, Shikaripura, Hosanagar and Thirthahalli taluks are in a quandary as they cannot cultivate paddy. Hence, the agriculture department authorities have come up with alternative crop.

Talking to Express, Madhusudhan, joint director of Agriculture department said that farmers from Sorab and Shikaripura taluks were severely hit by the present deficit rainfall. Therefore, most of them have not cultivated any crop in their land. Such farmers can go for contingency crops like Ragi (GPU-28 variety) and field beans (Hebal Avare four HF4).

Further, he suggested that lands situated adjacent to the tanks and lakes of Sorab taluk are ideal for paddy cultivation.

Farmers (who are ready with paddy nursery) having land in the low-lying areas adjacent to the tanks and lakes in Sorab taluk can transplant the paddy sapling before the end of August.

Farmers cultivating paddy in rain-fed areas of Malnad region too have to think of alternate crops as there there is scanty rainfall in the region.

Farmers of both Hosanagar and Thirthahalli taluks can go for cowpea and horsegram crops. Even if these taluks receive heavy showers in the coming months, then the failure of these crops will enrich the soil fertility. Farmers will get a decent yield of both cowpea and horsegram even if there is no rain in the coming months, said Madhusudhan.

Farmers of Shikaripur and Sorab who are yet to cultivate the land can go for ragi. If the same dry spell continues till September end, the department will advice the farmers to go for sorghum in Shikaripur and Sorab taluks. Farmers of these taluks who have been cultivating sorghum in smaller quantity, can cultivate it as a major crop in the taluk.

Farmers who have water facility in their land can go for sunflower cultivation and they can take up the work by September, said Madhusudhan.

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