With paddy sowing receiving a setback owing to deficient rainfall in the district this year, the Agriculture Department has planned to implement a contingency crop plan under which farmers will be encouraged to take up cultivation of less water-intensive crops such as pulses and millets.
In 2017, the district received 1,227mm rainfall till August 24 as against the normal 1,793 mm during this period. The total rain deficiency is at 33%. From August 1 to 24, the district received 232mm rainfall against the average 415mm during this period.
Owing to the sluggish pace of monsoon in their catchment areas, water storage in Bhadra, Anjanapura and Ambligolla reservoirs is also not on expected levels. According to sources in the Bhadra Command Area Development Authority, water will not be provided for kharif crops in the command area this year owing to low storage.
The department had set a target to cultivate on 1,69,027 hectares of land in the district for kharif season this year, against which cultivation has been completed on 1,38,481 hectares. Target was set to cultivate paddy on 1,07,760 hectares, against which cultivation has been taken up on 64,948 hectares so far. The acreage of land under maize was expected to be at 54,892 hectares this year, against which cultivation has been taken up on 68,558 hectares.
Madhusudan K., Joint Director of Department of Agriculture, told The Hindu that owing to deficient rainfall and low water storage in major reservoirs, farmers have shown reluctance to take up paddy cultivation. In parts of Sagar, Hosanagar and Sorab taluks where the paddy is cultivated through rain-fed cultivation method, many farmers have switched over to maize and ginger.
With 30,546 hectares being left uncultivated in the district, the contingency crop plan has been proposed. Farmers have been asked to take up cultivation of pulses and millets that are less water intensive and short-duration crops. Ample stock of seeds of ragi and other millets has been maintained in Raitha Samparka Kendras. Awareness programmes are also being held at the village level, he said.
