With Karnataka receiving 25% deficit rainfall during southwest monsoon as on August 24, paddy sowing has been hit hard as the food crop’s sowing coverage has reduced by over four lakh hectares, while various standing crops are facing the threat of withering, according to Minister for Agriculture N Cheluvarayaswamy.
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The State received 487 mm of rainfall against the normal 654 mm of rainfall from June 1 to August 24, 2023, while more than 100 taluks received less than normal rainfall during this monsoon, staring at drought-like conditions. With weather monitoring agencies too predicting shortage of rainfall during the monsoon season, the sowing progress under all major crops will remain sluggish in the State, the minister said.
Against the target of sowing 10.59 lakh hectares, paddy was sown only in 6.59 lakh hectares, while ragi was not sown on 3.5 lakh hectares against the target of 7.39 lakh hectares.
Similarly, there was reduction in sowing area of other crops such as tur dal by 2.5 lakh hectares, green gram by 2.22 lakh hectares, cotton by 1.45 lakh hectares, and groundnut by 93,000 hectares.
The total sown area as on August 24, was 64.84 lakh hectares against the target of 83.35 lakh hectares, accounting for 79% coverage. If the dry spell continues for another few weeks, the yield on the sown area would not reach the hands of farmers, the minister said.
Crop insurance to farmers
Crops in 196 gram panchayats have been lost owing to weak monsoon, and the 35,284 farmers of Bagalkot, Gadag, Tumakuru and Belagavi will get crop insurance of ₹35.90 lakh. A total of 16.23 lakh farmers have registered for crop insurance covering 15.31 lakh hectares.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said the State has commenced ground-truthing exercises to assess the situation for declaration of drought in more than 100 taluks that are facing shortage of rainfall. A decision was taken on August 22 at a meeting of the Cabinet panel that looks into recommendations to the State Cabinet on drought. Following the Central government’s guidelines, the State government would announce the declaration of drought-hit taluks in the first week of September, he said.
For declaration of drought, the drought manual specifies various conditions including 60% of deficit rainfall, three consecutive weeks of dry spell, less than 75% of crop coverage in the area, and less than 50% of the moisture in soil and the level of water in reservoirs, the minister said.
A Millet Mela and “Bellada Parishe” (jaggery mela) would be organised on August 28, in Mandya town for creating awareness on the benefits of millet and jaggery, he said. The United Nations has declared 2023 year as the International Year of Millets to promote millet as an alternative crop in dry-prone areas.
