Delay in the onset of monsoon has affected sowing in Kalaburagi district. As against the total targeted kharif area of 7,50,290 hectares, sowing has been completed only on 2,93,639 hectares (39%).
According to data provided by the Joint Director for Agriculture, Kalaburagi, during the corresponding period last year, sowing had been completed on around 3,70,297 hectares (55%) of the targeted area of 6,73,265 hectares.
The poor sowing in the beginning of the kharif was mainly owing to delay in the onset of monsoon. However, the district received good rainfall in July and this may help farmers take up sowing on a large area.
Although the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast had raised hopes among agriculturists, there was a difference in perception. In June, the district recorded only 97 mm rainfall against the normal of 113 mm.
Among foodgrains, sowing of pulses was completed on 2,47,844 hectares (41%) against a target of 6,08,250 hectares. Green gram was sown of 26,445 hectares (56%) against the targeted area of 47,100 hectares, followed by black gram on 12,473 hectares (45%) against the targeted area of 27,800 hectares. Red gram was sown on 2,08,904 hectares (39%) against the targeted area of 5,32,800 hectares.
Among oil seeds, farmers have switched to soya bean, which has been sown on 9,450 hectares (47%) of land against the targeted 20,000 hectares. The cultivation of other oil seeds such as sunflower, groundnut and sesamum was completed in less than 5% of the targeted area.
The district has so far achieved only 26% of cotton sowing, against a total target of 56,350 hectares. This year, the Agriculture Department has increased the sowing target from 6,73,265 hectares to 7,50,290 hectares. The target set for red gram was also revised from last year’s 4,34,625 hectares to 5,32,800 hectares.
