Encouraged by high water level in almost all reservoirs, major and medium lakes/tanks, Karnataka is expected to increase area during the rabi season by at least 15% which will help farmers recover from crop loss incurred owing to floods during the kharif season.
Owing to excess rainfall in almost all districts and intermittent rains in October, the moisture content in the soil is suitable for expansion of the area under crops both during the rabi and summer seasons. “We expect a good harvest as the water in major reservoirs and tanks across the State is more than the average of the last few years,” senior officials of the Agriculture Department told The Hindu.
The State received 1,019 mm rain during monsoon ending September 30, against the normal rainfall of 852 mm, an increase of 20%.
Target area
In the rabi season, the department has set a target of 26.68 lakh hectares for sowing in different districts of the State. Farmers largely undertake sowing crops such as wheat, horse gram, cow pea, green gram, bengal gram, jowar, mustard, barley sesame during the rabi season.
“Continuing rain preceded by an active south west monsoon has given an impetus to agriculture activity for the rabi season in all districts,” the officials said.
Across reservoirs
The water level at Linganamakki, Varahi, Harangi, Hemavathi, K.R.S., Kabini, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Almatti, and Narayanapura reservoirs has been consistently higher when compared to the corresponding periods of the last 10 years. With high moisture level in soil and availability of water, officials said farmers are expected to sow five lakh hectares more area than the targeted area during the rabi season.
Out of 3,673 minor irrigation tanks in the State, close to 80% of the tanks had storages more than 70% of their respective capacity even in traditionally drought-prone regions.
Damage to crops
Floods caused damage to standing crops on 9.22 lakh hectares in the kharif season. Crops on 80 lakh hectares were sown against the target of 82 lakh hectares. The kharif’s foodgrain target was 114.54 lakh tonnes.
The foodgrain target of the State for all three seasons - kharif, rabi and summer crops - was 148 lakh tonnes during 2022-23. The loss of foodgrain that occured at kharif season would be recovered from expected increase in area and yields during the rabi and summer seasons crops, the officials said.
Quantum of rain
Received this monsoon till Sept. 30 -- 1,019 mm
Normal average rainfall -- 852 mm
Increase -- About 20%
Cultivation area
Target set for rabi season -- 26.68 lakh hectares
Target set for kharif -- 82 lakh hectares
Crop sown during kharif -- 80 lakh hectares
