Hit by dry spell, farmers pray for urgent monsoon

CHIKMAGALUR: A dry spell in the district has affected pulses, oil seeds and commercial crops, said farmers in plain parts of the district. The matter was vouched by the agriculture department and estimates that 25 percent of the crops have been damaged by it.
Monsoon rains which started on a hopeful note has weakened and vanished since May 31 over the district.With the continuing heat, the drought situation may be aggravated in the district. Farmers are distressed as the pulses have started withering due to paucity of rain.
According to agricultural office sources, crops like black gram, sesame, green gram, cowpea, sunflower, groundnut, Bengal gram and avare, which are sown in the last week of April and first week of May, urgently need the necessary showers. However, monsoons, which is playing truant, has started to worry the farmers.
Speaking to TOI, district agriculture officer Lokeshappa said since May 31 there had been no rain in the district, severe heat has started affecting their sprouted crops. If rains got delayed by another week, 50 percent of the crop will be destroyed and the loss will be extensive.
Lokeshappa said the sowing of major crops like paddy in the Malnad parts and ragi, the staple food of plain parts, has not yet started. He added that these two crops, which occupy more than 70 percent of the area, will be sown in the month of July and August. However, the preparation of nursery beds for paddy transplantation should have started by now, but due to delay in monsoons the work has not started.
A sudden stop in the rains has caused worry to coffee planters. The borer menace in arabica coffee plantations and lately the green bug problem has started increasing. Planters said if the dry weather continues for another one week then losses can be expected.
Rain statistics reveal that the amount of rainfall from January till date has been below normal in most taluks. Chikmagalur taluk, which should have received 310 mm rain, has received 213 mm of rain. The rain water levels were 165-140 mm in Kadur, 286-229 mm in Tarikere taluk, 1086-430 mm in Mudigere taluk, 705-190 mm in Koppa taluk, 1132-244 mm in Sringeri taluk and 435-270 mm in Narasimharajapur taluk.
In many parts of the district, several farmers have started to appease the rain god. Farmers are frequently visiting Rushyashrunga, located in Kigga in Sringeri taluk, and praying to bring more rain to their perched lands.