Karnataka is targetting a foodgrain production of 112 lakh tonnes (lt) from about 57.51 lakh hectares in the 2024-25 kharif cropping season
The agriculture sector in Karnataka, which faced a severe drought during 2023-24, had clocked a negative growth rate during the year. The State had declared drought in 223 of the 236 taluks during 2023-24.
For the kharif 2024, area under paddy is targetted at 10.6 lakh hectares (lh) in the State eyeing a production of 32.97 lakh tonnes (lt). Karnataka, one of the major maize producing States, expects the area to increase to 15.40 lha with a targetted production of the cereal crop at 49.28 lt, as per the State Agriculture Department.
Similarly, the area under ragi, a key nutri-cereal is pegged at 7.30 lha with a targetted production of 11.76 lh, as per the State Agriculture Department. Kharif jowar acreage is targetted at 0.75 lh with a production target of 1.12 lt.
Pulses area
Among pulses, the area is expected to increase in the State with farmers expected to expand the acreage on the prevailing bullish trend in prices. Karnataka has set a target of 15 lh for pigeon pea (tur), the main pulses crop in the State. Tur production is targetted at 11.95 lt during kharif 2024-25. The production target for green gram is set at 1.50 lt from an area of 3.99 lh.
Acreages under all oilseeds are targetted at 9.79 lh eyeing a production of 9.87 lt. Groundnut acreage is targetted at 4 lh eyeing a production of 3.83 lt. Sunflower acreages are targetted at 1.30 lh with a production of 1.05 lt. Soyabean acreage is targetted at 4.10 lh eyeing a production of 4.72 lt.
Among the cash crops, the area under cotton is targetted at 8 lha eyeing a production of 24.34 lt. Similarly the acreages under sugarcane is expected to be 6.40 lha with a targetted production of 627.20 lt. The area under tobacco is projected to be 0.77 lha with an estimated production of 0.67 lt.