Deficit rains threaten kharif crops in Karnataka

Karnataka has been hit with a double whammy in the agricultural sector, thanks to deficit rainfall.

The sowing area has not only shrunk by nearly 15.57 lakh ha compared to the target set by the government, but the yield on the 66.68 lakh ha land could also be far less than the previous year, as standing crops are seeing stunted growth and drying of leaves.

This kharif season, Karnataka had set itself a target of sowing agricultural crops on nearly 82.35 lakh ha of land. However, erratic rains in July and August forced the farmers to take up cultivation on only 66.68 lakh ha till the last week of August.

The total sowing this season is 7.69 lakh ha less than last year and 1.79 lakh ha less than the normal coverage area of the state.

The total area on which crops such as paddy, jowar, ragi, minor millets, tur, horse gram, green gram and groundnut were planted shrank this year compared to both last year and the average cultivation. Though maize cultivation increased, the crop could be lost due to a lack of water.

Agriculture Department Director G T Putra said the state could see a noticeable deficit in yields of paddy, tur, green gram and others as their cultivation has drastically come down.

“In the next three-four days, we are expecting the deputy commissioners and joint directors of agriculture (JDA) of each district to provide us a report based on their ‘ground-truthing’. Based on those reports, we will be able to roughly estimate the total crop loss in the state due to drought,” he said.

Of the 66.68 lakh ha cultivated as of August 25, 47.74 lakh ha of land is rain-fed and only 18.93 lakh ha is irrigated.

Joint directors of at least six districts informed DH that damage to crops are being reported in both irrigated and rain-fed areas.

According to the data provided by the Agriculture Department, paddy, which was supposed to be sown on 10.59 lakh ha of land, was sown on just 6.70 lakh ha of land this season. Last kharif season, it was sown on 8.37 lakh ha of land.

Similarly, tur was to be cultivated on 15.79 lakh ha of land but was sown on just 13.44 lakh ha. The corresponding figures for ragi are: target - 7.39 lakh ha; sowed - 4.18 lakh ha; jowar - target 0.87 lakh ha; sowed - 0.34 lakh ha).

Ashoka, Joint Director of Agriculture, Mandya, said last year the district had witnessed crop loss due to excess rain; this year, drought is playing havoc. Paddy and ragi are the major crops of the season. However, with a 60% rainfall deficit last month, he fears that paddy cultivation could be badly affected.

Of all the districts in the state, Ballari, which produces paddy, chilli, jowar, bajra and others, has witnessed the least sowing this season.

On an average, the district cultivates 3.24 lakh ha, but this year only 99,000 ha of land has been cultivated. “The release of TB dam water into the canal started only on August 3. As the supply was erratic, farmers did not take up cultivation,” said Mallikarjun K, Ballari JDA.

He said due to dry spells, farmers are reporting stunted growth in tur, paddy and drying up of maize crops. “The next five-six days are very crucial for these farmers. If rain fails, then their entire crops can die,” he said.