Many progressive farmers and environmentalists have been calling for a ban on the cultivation of ginger, at least for a few years, given the crop’s impact on soil fertility and groundwater levels in the district. Office-bearers of farmers’ groups say farmers are ready to give up ginger cultivation in the interest of the environment and soil.
Farmers in Hassan began ginger cultivation in the latter part of the last decade. Following a ban on it in Kerala, many farmers from there came to Hassan, among other districts of Karnataka, and took land on lease to grow ginger. Gradually, native farmers began growing the crop too.
A.B. Sanjay, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department, says, “Ginger is an undersoil crop and extracts nutrients and moisture directly from the soil. Soil fertility is the immediate casualty of ginger cultivation.”
The farmers who were among the first to grow ginger are already experiencing its ill-effects. “Once ginger is grown in a particular land, farmers cannot get good produce from any other crop on that land for a couple of years. It takes years for the soil to regain its fertility,” the officer says.
Borewells
As of now, farmers grow ginger on over 10,000 hectares in the district. Each farmer drills one or two borewells; implying hundreds of borewells in a village only for ginger cultivation. This has affected the groundwater table.
“Farmers were not aware of these ill-effects when they were introduced to this crop. Those fed up with the losses owing to late blight in the case of potato shifted quickly to ginger. They invested money and, initially, earned well. The State government should have spread awareness well in advance and avoided the cultivation of this crop,” says H.R. Naveen Kumar, district president of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha.
Allegations
Ginger growers have been using chemicals extensively, affecting micro-organisms. There are allegations that banned fertilisers are being used. “Farmers’ greed is one of the reasons for the increase in area under ginger. They want to make a quick buck, and are not bothered about the long-term effects,” says Kottur Srinivas, district president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. He adds that the forum would help the government in spreading awareness if the latter took a tough stand and banned the production of ginger altogether.
