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M'lore: Paddy Farmers Turn to Commercial Crops as Rains Disappear

  •   Sat, Sep 06 2008 07:46:34 AM

Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RD/CN)

Mangalore, Sep 6: The district is facing a dearth of rains for the past ten days and  temperatures have soared. Seasonal vegetable and paddy cultivation, which is solely dependent on the monsoon has suffered as a result and  if the lack of rains continues beyond a week, the farmers will face hard times.

The farmers had cultivated paddy over 32,729 hectares of farmland in Dakshina Kannada district this year. Of this, 11,729 hectares is in the taluk, and 9,411 hectares is in Puttur.  Another 2,975 hectares is in Beltangady, and  8,295 hectares in Sullia. The region had  experienced a moderate monsoon at the time of planting the paddy saplings. This has resulted in lush fields in some places while some areas will be ready for harvest in 40 days.

Paddy cultivation needs optimum irrigation and the scanty rains have affected the crop in 7,000 hectares of farmland of the 32,912 hectares, informed the district agriculture officer. Rice is being sold in the retail market at Rs 17 to Rs 20 per kilogramme, as many famrers have chosen to go in for commercial crops in traditional paddy fields across the undivided DK district.

They have converted their paddy fields to grow areca, palm, and rubber plantations. Commercial crops fetch the farmers high returns while labour-intensive paddy cultivation earns them a meager income.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Joe Britto, Nakre/Bangalore

    Sat, Sep 06 2008

    It is really disheartening to see that the rains are deficient in D.K. Going for commercial crops is just a short term solution.Also there is little guarantee that the price will be good when these commercial crops are harvested.

    Perhaps if there are some better drought resistant varieties of paddy, it might be be prudent to approach the Regional Research Stations and grow the suitable variety of paddy which will need less water and cultivate it in a smaller area.

    There has been so much talk of varieties which do not even need transplanting , and perhaps if suitable and in consultation with the authorities these could be grown. Growing paddy would atleast mean that part of the living costs of the family members will be met .

    However everything depends on several factors like extent of deficit water, labour problems, availability of right varieties as well as high costs involved .These are some factors which make a big difference and the local Agriculturists are left with very little options at the end of the day and very little or no money as well.

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