The sowing season for some kharif crops is coming to an end, but the state has not witnessed even 50 per cent of normal sowing for major crops like groundnut, sunflower, greengram, horsegram, avare, ragi and minor millets.
As on August 13, the coverage of total cereals, pulses and oilseeds during this kharif season is less than the normal coverage by 7.04 lakh hectares (-27 pc), 2.93 lakh ha (-24 pc) and 7.89 lakh ha (-54 pc) respectively.
Pulses like horsegram, avare and greengram have witnessed a sowing deficit of more than 60 per cent while ragi, a major cereal crop, has witnessed a deficit of 57 pc.
The season of greengram, avare, groundnut is already over and for ragi and sunflower, sowing can be considered till this month-end.
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Bangalore estimates that the production will be lower than 100 lakh tonnes this year.
“The situation is pathetic. Rabi crops failed last year and this year kharif has failed. We have lost the critical period and the government is not serious about it. The situation for the farmers is worrisome,” said Dr P G Chengappa, National Professor of Indian Council for Agriculture Research.
Officials however say the situation is likely to improve during rabi.
“The contingency plans are ready and the area not covered under kharif will be offset by early rabi sowing,” said Agriculture Director (Department of Karnataka) K V Sarvesh.
However, Chengappa said though the government claims food inflation is less than 10 per cent, prices of commodities never decrease.
“Consumers have to shell more soon,” he said.
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