‘Govt. should have warned farmers against sowing water-intensive crops’

Farmers worried as sowing is near completion

Farmers in the region have called for a long-term weather advisory bulletin to help farmers plan cropping pattern in a year of drought to minimise crop loss.

The demand assumes significance due to the threat of drought looming large in the region. Vivek Cariappa, an organic farmer from Sargur in H.D. Kote, told The Hindu that sowing in most parts of Mysore district took place in April and May, when the region receives a spell of pre-monsoon showers. “This year, scientists world-wide were forecasting a poor monsoon due to El-Nino factor and farmers should have been kept posted,” said Mr. Cariappa.

In May, he had urged the State government to issue an advisory to farmers to desist from sowing water-intensive crops due to the prospects of poor rain due to El-Nino, but there was no response from the authorities.

“The government was urged to advise farmers against sowing water-intensive crops like paddy and cotton as early as the first week of May, but they ignored it. Farmers will now pay the price for this inaction,” he added.

Instead, farmers have taken up sowing in full swing. Sowing is nearing completion in H.D. Kote, where the bulk of farmers cultivate Bt. Cotton. In the absence of an advisory, farmers will now bear the brunt of crop loss. Though a loan waiver may be announced by the government, the Confederation of Indian Farmers’ Association (CIFA) has pointed out waivers benefit only a small fraction of farmers, as a majority borrow from private money lenders.

While the government has announced contingency plans to take up ragi cultivation if the drought persists, there is a general perception that farmers who have invested their hard-earned money or taken loans to cultivate commercial crops will not opt for ragi at this juncture.

“The general trend among farmers is to wait and watch, hoping for a revival of rains, and to retrieve whatever is possible rather than go for fresh cropping,” said Kurubur Shanthakumar, CIFA member.

Though H.D. Kote does not have canal irrigation system, a majority of the farmers have borewells installed on their farms. However, the power situation is bleak and precedence is accorded to urban centres in power distribution. Hence the IP sets receive electricity only for a couple of hours, said Mr. Carriappa.