Farmers smile after bumper crop after three years
- Though delayed, the monsoon has been good to the farmers growing pulses.
- Paddy and ground nut crops failed but Millet and Tur Dal harvest have been good.
- 18 total 745 mm rainfall has been reported till now and in the next one week it will reach its usual 836 mm.
FollowThe farmers in the State who were facing acute drought situation have a reason to smile at last. Though delayed, the monsoon has been good to the farmers growing pulses.  Paddy and groundnut crops failed but Millet and Tur Dal harvest have been good this year, reports Kannada Prabha.
In the current season, paddy, jowar, millet, maize and wheat are being cultivated in 33.66 lakh hectares with 83 lakh tonne expected harvest. Pulses like Tur, blackgram, horsegram, chickpea, greengram and Alasande are grown in 16.95 lakh hectares with an expected 8 lakh tonne harvest. Oil seeds like groundnut, sesame, sunflower, mustard, soya, flax and hyacinth beans are grown in 11.67 lakh hectares with expected yield of 9 lakh tonne.
In the current year, the monsoon was weak in the beginning but picked up in the second week of August. Majority of districts have received good monsoon. Hence in the coming 12 days even if moderate rainfall reported the State would have received its usual amount of rainfall. By Sept 18 total 745 mm rainfall has been reported in the State and in the next one week it will reach its usual 836 mm, said sources in Agriculture Department.
The Agriculture Department had a target of sowing in 73 lakh hectare area this year but according to the information officially received from all the districts sowing has been carried out in only 60 lakh hectare area. Especially in areas where millet is grown, the late monsoon has delayed sowing activities. Taking into consideration, the remaining 12 days of rains, by September end total area of cultivation could reach 65 lakh hectares. In the previous year, despite weak monsoon, 71.67 lakh hectares were cultivated.
The Agriculture Department has surveyed the reason for the decline in sowing. Especially in Cauvery basin regions like Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassanaand other districts paddy has not been sown to the extent expected. In districts like Ballari, Raichur and Koppal paddy cultivation has been reduced. In the current year, paddy has been cultivated in only 6 lakh hectare area. Agriculture Department had aimed at sowing paddy in 10.40 lakh hectares. Hence there is a deficit of 4 lakh hectares. Scanty rains in July is the main reason for this. Also groundnut sowing also has taken a beating in Chitradurga, Gadag, Tumakuru and other regions. Hence this year both paddy and groundnut yield will be less than usual to an extent of 25 per cent.
Sugarcane crop will also be lesser than previous year as not a single acre excess has been cultivated. The saving grace is going to be pulses. Though scanty rains in June posed a problem to crops, good rains in July made up for the deficiency. Hence good harvest of pulses is expected. Groundnut and sunflower will give a yield of 40 per cent less this year, according to a survey by Agriculture Department.
Rainfall is 10 per cent less than expected. Previous year, though in June and July rain was good monsoon decreased and 30 per cent rainfall was recorded. This year in June, moderate rain was reported and in July 30 per cent deficit rain was reported. In August 5 per cent excess than usual rain was reported. In September State received rainfall almost 40 per cent in excess than usual. The total normal rainfall in State is 836 mm. Till Sept 18, the State received 745 mm. In the next 12 days the State will receive more than the expected rain in excess.
Â
Â
