Faced with a 26 per cent shortfall in monsoon rains, Karnataka is expected to come up with the crop loss estimates in about 10 days and the State is likely to declare drought next week.
A survey to assess the extent of crop loss due to deficit rains is going on and the damages would be known after 10 days, said Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Thursday. Against a target of 82.35 lakh hectares, the kharif sowing has taken place in about 66.68 lakh hectares this year compared with 71.74 lakh hectares a year ago.
Against a normal of 660 mm for the period June 1 to August 30, Karnataka has received rainfall of 488 mm, resulting in a shortfall of 26 per cent. In August, the rainfall deficit was over 70 per cent in 29 of the 31 districts and there was no rainfall for three consecutive weeks, Cheluvarayaswamy said. Over 120 taluks in the State have witnessed dry spell where crops are facing moisture stress.
Farmers in the Cauvery basin have been asked not to take up fresh planting of water-intensive crops such as sugarcane and paddy due to low water storage in the Krishna Raja Sagar dam, he said.
As per the IMD data, the rainfall deficit in South Interior Karnataka is 30 per cent, while the shortfall is 17 per cent in Coastal Karnataka and 11 per cent in North Interior Karnataka.
The sub-committee of Karnataka Cabinet is meeting on September 4 to discuss the prevailing dry spell and its impact, based on the ground reports being collected from various districts. Based on findings and the cabinet sub-committee observations, the State govt will take a decision on declaring drought.
‘No permit for GM crop’
Replying to a query on trials of the genetically modified mustard seeds, Cheluvarayaswamy said the State will not issue permission to take up the trials of the transgenic oilseed. He also said there have been no negative effects reported on the use of nano urea in the State. About 10 lakh bottles of nano urea are being used in the State .
For the 36 notified crops eligible for insurance, about 16.23 lakh farmers have taken cover for their crops planted in 15.31 lakh ha this year, he said. Last year, about 19 lakh farmers had taken crop cover. “This year, crop insurance registration has dropped compared to last year since the registration process started late and sowing was delayed due to lack of rainfall,” the Minister said.