BENGALURU: Here’s good news for farmers: With summer showers expected to be good, they can harvest two crops this year. Experts are suggesting that farmers take up short-term crops before the monsoon.
Not just double cropping in a year, good pre-monsoon showers hold many benefits which were not recorded substantially in the past many years. With the Met department forecasting good rain in April and May, farmers are about to reap these benefits.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, former director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre, Srinivas Reddy said with groundwater depletion, the quality and quantity of water would have dropped. However, good showers in April and May would recharge groundwater, improving its quality and quantity.
Reddy said the rain would bring down dependency on borewells, and indirectly help farmers to cut down energy consumption. Not just this, rain would also help in greening grasslands, which serve as fodder for cattle, again helping farmers in a big way.
According to experts, this year, farmers can take up two crops. They can start sowing 80-85 day crops like cowpea, green gram or even tomatoes, and harvest them by June, claimed Prof Rajegowda, former registrar, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru.
This year, the Northeast monsoon was deficient at many places, however, rain in the last couple of days is helping soil gain moisture, and farmers are gearing up to sow pre-monsoon crops. Farmers from Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Mandya and parts of Hassan have already started preparing land for sowing.
Agriculture Minister
N Cheluvarayaswamy said they are aware that pre-monsoon showers will be good this year. “After many years, pre-monsoon showers are good. Farmers in many parts of Karnataka have started agricultural activities and we have directed officials from the taluk level to the Raitha Samparka Kendra to supply the required seeds and fertilizers to farmers,” he added.
Hailstones in summer are not good for crops, especially those which are ready to flower or for harvest. Experts have also cautioned farmers to be wary of lightning and thunder, which is common during summer showers. “We appeal to them not to step out,” said Reddy.