Bangalore, Aug 6 (DHNS): Farmers, who are waiting for rains to carry on their kharif operations, may heave a sigh of relief. The weather bureau has said that monsoon is likely to revive in the next 40 to 72 hours, across the State.
The State is expected to get normal rainfall of 20 cm in August, according Dr A Muthuchamy, Director of Bangalore Meteorology Centre.
The cumulative rainfall from June 1 till date is 518 mm, 7 mm more than the normal. But it was not uniform.
North-east districts - Raichur, Gulbarga, Bidar and Koppal, and south interior districts - Hassan, Kolar, Bellary and Mandya, have received deficient rainfall.
More than average
The director said while coastal Karnataka has received (-3) per cent of the normal rainfall, it was (-17) per cent than the normal in case of north Karnataka. But south Karnataka received 15 per cent excess rainfall than the average, he said.
“The rain situation is comfortable. Monsoon will revive in next two to three days. There is no cause for concern as far as rain is concerned,” Muthuchamy said. He said Bangalore has received normal rainfall.
“Bangalore falls under the rain shadow region. The City has got even July’s quota in the month of June. It will continue to get rains for the next three months,” he pointed out.
Officials of the Agriculture Department said, farmers of certain districts of both north Karnataka and south Karnataka are awaiting rains to carry on the sowing operations.
“There is a shift in the rain pattern this year and also, there is some delay in the arrival of rains. The State is expected to receive rainfall in the next eight to 10 days, failing which, the farmers cannot go in for the cultivation of seasonal crops like tur, sunflower, ragi and groundnut. If rain deficiency persists, then horsegram will be the best option to grow,” a top officer of the Agriculture Department said.
No drought-like situation
He said, the target is to bring 72 lakh hectare under cultivation during the kharif season. But so far 52 lakh hectares have been covered. But there is no drought-like situation in any district, he added. The officer said more than rains, it is fertiliser which is required immediately.
“We need 2.6 lakh tonnes of urea, 3 lakh tonnes of Complex and 80,000 tonnes of MoP for August. The Centre has allocated the stock but it is yet to reach the State,” he said.
A team of officials of the Agriculture Department left for New Delhi to discuss fertiliser shortage, as well as fixing of minimum support price to sugarcane, with the Centre.