Though sowing operations for kharif crops started at a slow pace in Bidar district during June due to the delay in the monsoon, the incessant rainfall in the last week has helped farmers take up brisk sowing. Farmers have completed Kharif sowing on 4,01,069 hectares (97%) of land against the targeted area of 4,13,234 hectares across the district.
As per the data provided by Agriculture Department; farmers have completed sowing of cereals on 8,296 hectares (54.05%); pulses on 1,46,512 hectares (94.99%) and oil seeds on 2,18,795 hectares (103.18%) as on July 20.
The farmers in Bidar district have exceeded sowing targets of major bi-seasonal crop Red gram, and also Soya bean and Cotton this year.
They have completed the sowing of red gram on 1,19,120 hectares of land against the target of 1,18,534 hectares fixed by the department this year; the sowing area of red gram crop is likely to increase by the end of July.
Similarly, farmers have completed sowing of soya bean in 2,18,040 hectares against the target of 2,10,000 hectares; and cotton on 1,967 hectares against the targeted area of 1600 hectares.
Short-term crop
Farmers have cultivated green gram crops on 15,361 hectares (76.81%) against the targeted area of 20,000 hectares; and black gram has been sown on 11,811 hectares (78.74%) against the targeted area of 18,000 hectares.
Out of the five taluks in Bidar district, Basavakalyan, Bidar and Humnabad taluks have covered 98% of the targeted sowing area; followed by Bhalki taluk with 96.04% of the targeted sowing area and Aurad taluk achieved a sowing target of 95.06% as on July 20.
