BENGALURU: Over the past two decades, farmers in Karnataka have largely faced distress due to drought and deficient rainfall. This year, while pre-monsoon showers were favourable, excess rainfall during the monsoon caused severe crop damage in several parts of the state. Farmers also suffered heavy losses due to a sharp crash in market prices, particularly of sugarcane, maize, tur dal, and mangoes.
During the pre-monsoon period this year, the state recorded 288mm of rainfall, as against 119.6mm normal rain. The State, as a whole, is classified under ‘Large Excess Category’. After drought in 2024, these showers brought smiles to farmers, who grew summer crops. It helped recharge groundwater, which again helped farmers take up agri activities.
As pre-monsoon showers were good, some parts of Karnataka, including Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Mandya, Kolar, parts of Kalaburagi and Bidar yielded two crops, and one was harvested before the monsoon. The Southwest monsoon this year was a little above normal and received average of 882mm against 852mm between June and September-end. Farmers in some parts of the state, especially Kalaburagi and other regions, received excess rainfall, causing flooding and crop damage.
This year, the Northeast monsoon brought deficit rainfall in North and Central Karnataka, and some pockets in Bengaluru Rural and Chamarajanagar districts. But the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons saw good rainfall that helped reservoirs fill up, not once, but a couple of times.
“Good rain throughout the year have helped fill up dams and also recharge groundwater. This will help take up agricultural activities in summer too,’’ said GS Srinivasa Reddy, prominent meteorologist and former director of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.
While the weather and rain god favoured farmers, prices crashing was an issue for both agriculture and horticulture crops throughout the year. This year saw a bumper harvest of mangoes, and prices crashed from Rs 10,000 per quintal to Rs 3,000 per quintal. Growers demanded a minimum support price like the Andhra government, that pays Rs 4,000 per quintal. This year, even the Andhra government banned Karnataka mangoes, adding more woes to State growers.
Full story: newindianexpress.com