Dharwad
The early arrival of Southwest monsoon, 15 days ahead of schedule in the Kittur Karnataka region has turned into a source of distress for farmers. Encouraged by forecasts of a good monsoon, farmers began sowing green gram and other crops in the third week of May. However, relentless rainfall in the first two weeks of June has caused widespread waterlogging, severely impacting agricultural activity. Several taluks in district received excess rainfall. Downpours also lashed parts of Belagavi and Gadag districts and some taluks in Haveri district. Against the average rainfall of 5mm for the first half of June, many taluks received nearly 5cm, an increase of nearly 400 percent. The excessive moisture has turned dryland agricultural fields into slushy, waterlogged patches resembling those in the Malnad region, disrupting the sowing process and damaging early crops.
Farmers who sowed early are now facing significant losses. In many fields, water stagnation has prevented seed germination
Green gram is a preferred short-term crop, approximately 50-day crop in the North Karnataka region. The agriculture department had targeted one lakh hectares for green gram sowing in district alone, with an additional 1.5 lakh hectares in the neighbouring districts. So far, sowing has been completed in 70 percent of the targeted area, but much of it is now under water.
Agriculture department Joint Director Manjunath Antaravalli said farmers are waiting for the rains to subside so that germination can resume. The first week of June saw heavy rainfall. Although rainfall has decreased over the past two days, field conditions remain too wet for sowing. The meteorological department has forecast a decline in rainfall in the coming week, which should help farmers resume operations. Currently, about 67 percent of the overall sowing target has been achieved, he added.