Standing crops on over 10 lakh hectares have been damaged owing to floods and deficit rainfall in June and July in 14 districts.
According to preliminary estimates, crops were damaged on 9 lakh hectares owing to deficit rainfall, and on 1.09 lakh hectares owing to floods.
Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda said it would be difficult for the State to achieve the foodgrains production target of 133 lakh tonnes for 2014–15.
In 2013–14, grain production was 132 lakh tonnes as against the target of 131 lakh tonnes.
Mr. Gowda told presspersons here on Thursday that a drought-like situation prevailed in five districts: Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Kolar, Chickballapur and Ramanagaram. Instructions had been given to officials of the Agriculture and Revenue departments to take up a joint survey to assess crop damage.
The Revenue Department would declare the five districts as drought-hit after getting a detailed report in the next few days. A Cabinet sub-committee, headed by Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad, would announce the decision by next week, he said.
Rainfall had been in excess in nine districts — Gadag, Davangere, Haveri, Raichur, Yadgir, Gulbarga, Koppal, Bagalkot and Bijapur — resulting in damage to crops such as maize, toor, green gram and jowar.
Crop damage had been more in Gadag and Gulbarga, he said.
The State had fixed the target for sowing at 74 lakh hectares for the 2014 kharif season and the acreage was 80 per cent as on September 1.
