Farmers in distress as soggy conditions disrupt kharif sowing
Pic: Waterlogging on agriculture field is preventing farmers from taking up sowing (TOI)
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 in Dharwad and surrounding districts 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 Dharwad district, including Navalgund, Kundgol, Annigeri, Hubballi, and Dharwad, received excess rainfall.
Downpours also lashed parts of Belagavi district — such as Saundatti, Ramdurg, Belagavi rural — as well as Nargund, Mundargi, and Laxmeshwar in Gadag district, 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%. 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.
by Taboola
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Water stagnation
Farmers who sowed early are now facing significant losses. In many fields, water stagnation has prevented seed germination. In partially germinated fields, re-sowing is not even a viable option due to continued rain and soggy conditions.
Meanwhile, farmers who are yet to sow are unable to do so as the fields remain too wet. If sowing is not completed within the next 10 days, there are fears that crop yields will be severely affected.
A further delay of two weeks could prove disastrous.
"If we opt for re-sowing, we'll have to spend again on seeds and fertilisers. Even if we spend, there's no guarantee that we'll get a return. The govt must step in and support us," urged green gram farmer Basavaraj Yogappanavar from Kundgol.
Adding to the concern, intermittent showers continue in most rain-hit taluks, preventing farmers from accessing their fields.
Many crops that have already been sown are submerged, and fields yet to be sown are too wet to work with. "Farmers are under extreme distress," said farmer leader Mallikarjunagouda Balaganagouda.
Favourite crop
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 Dharwad district alone, with an additional 1.5 lakh hectares in the neighbouring districts.
So far, sowing has been completed in 70% 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% of the overall sowing target has been achieved," he added.
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