Crop plan envisages cultivation of varieties like ragi and groundnut which yield in five months; south - interior region and some parts of the north-interior region have been badly affected due to scanty rainfall
BENGALURU: With the monsoon playing truant this year, the Agriculture Department has already started preparing a contingency plan of short-term crops for farmers who can sow up to August-end.
The plan envisages cultivation of varieties like ragi and groundnut which yield in four-five months.
“We have consulted Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture in Hyderabad and state agricultural universities and prepared sub-blocks (for every 15 days) for delay of rainfall. Seeds are being developed and will be supplied to farmers. There is time for sowing till July-end. If the rains fail, then these seeds will be distributed to farmers in August,” Agriculture Commissioner G Satish said.
He also said sowing had commenced in 21.18 lakh hectares (ha) till June-end out of 73 lakh hectares under cultivation in the state. “For crops like ragi and groundnut in south-interior region, there is time till July-end for sowing. In north-interior Karnataka, jowar, maize, bajra, redgram and soya can be sown till July,” he added.Explaining further, Satish said this year, the pre-monsoon showers were good in Karnataka, especially in the south-interior regions.
“Sowing was undertaken during April/May in some parts of Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar. The monsoon entered the state on June 7 and covered entire state by June 12, but has been deficit and not well distributed. As of Friday, 18 districts have received deficit rainfall. This includes 104 taluks of the 176 taluks,’’ he said.The south-interior region and some parts of the north-interior region including Gadag, Haveri, Belagavi, Ballari and Dharwad have been badly affected.
According to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) Director Srinivas Reddy, from June 1 to July 4 this year, as against the normal rainfall of 232 mm, the state recorded 210 mm rainfall.
“This is just and 8 per cent deficit. But the worst affected is south-interior Karnataka. For instance, Kodagu is witnessing 34 per cent rainfall deficit. “As for the next one week, there is no sign of good rains till July 12, which is worrying,’’ he said.
According to the latest figures, south-interior Karnataka has witnessed 40 per cent rainfall deficit while Malnad area, with the exception of Shivamogga, is facing a 24 per cent deficit.Only coastal Karnataka has been lucky enough to receive normal rainfall. However, no heavy rainfall is predicted for the next two
weeks.Reddy said that in the absence of any weather systems in the Arabian Sea, only light to scattered rainfall is expected, with some parts of the state experiencing moderate rainfall.
Dip in moisture will affect crops
Farmers in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru and Mandya who had commenced sowing in early May are now in trouble. Farmers in this region typically start sowing early compared to the rest of the state with crops like pulses, jowar, cotton and sunflower.
With good rains during the sowing season, the crops are reaching a stage of maturation now, when the water requirement is intensive and moisture is also required.
Director of Agriculture Department B Y Srinivas said there is increased wind activity in the area which has also reduced moisture in the air, affecting crops.
“Thirty five days after sowing, these crops require moisture and rainfall, otherwise the growth will be severely stunted. If there is no rain for 10-15 days, then these plants will be severely affected and the yield will be less. This will also reduce the income of the farmer. But there is still some more time and we are hoping it will rain,” he said.
Worrying numbers
Out of 73 lakh hectares under cultivation, sowing has been undertaken in 24.4 lakh ha (34% progress) till July first week, as opposed to 37.04 ha last year.
18 districts in Karnataka are witnessing deficit rainfall
In June, 100 out of 176 taluks affected by poor rainfall as against to 164 taluks which received normal rainfall in June last year.
66 per cent of tanks still dry
Out of 3,602 minor irrigation tanks in the state, only 2 per cent of the tanks have storage of more than 50 pc of their capacity while 32 per cent of the tanks have 30-50 per cent of their capacity and 66 per cent of the tanks are dry.
Water levels in all the major reservoirs are less when compared to the 15-year average. Major dams like Linganamakki, Harangi, Hemavathi, KRS and Bhadra have less storage compared to previous years.
