From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 4: Flood havoc and drought conditions have affected crops in nearly 10 lac hectares of land in several districts of Karnataka.

Karnataka’s Agriculture Minister C Krishna Byregowda, who spoke to reporters in Bangalore on Thursday, said it would be difficult for the State to achieve a target of 133 lac tonnes of food grains production fixed for the year 2014-15.

The foodgrains production had touched 132 lac tonnes as against the target of 131 lac tonnes, he said.

Drought situation prevailed in five districts-Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Kolar, Chikballapur and Ramanagar district with no rains in the last three months.

The revenue department would declare those districts as drought-hit after getting a detailed report from both agriculture and revenue departments in the next 10-15 days.

Before this, it would be discussed in the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Revenue Minister V Srinivasa Prasad, he said.

The minister said rains had been more than normal in nine districts: Gadag, Davangere, Haveri, Raichur, Yadgir, Gulbarga, Koppal, Bagalkot and Bijapur resulting in damage to crops like maize, tur, greengram and jawar.

Of the total 10 lac hectares, damage to crops had been more than 50 per cent in 33,000 hectares.
Instructions had been given to officers of agriculture and revenue departments to undertake a joint survey to assess the crop damage and then to submit a detailed report to the State which would be placed before the Cabinet Sub-Committee for the next course of action.

He said the immediate priority before the department was to examine possibilities of reviving the crops affected by floods as done in the past.

The other option would be distributing seeds of bengal gram and white jawar to farmers at subsidised rate to take up sowing afresh at least in some districts of North Karnataka, he said promising to take it up on a war-footing to help farmers in distress

The State has adequate stock of seeds which would be distributed to farmers.

Among nine districts, crop damage had been more in Gadag and Gulbarga districts.

Of the total 74 lac hectares under the kharif season, sowing had been done in 80 per cent of the areas, he added.

Answering questions, the Agriculture Minister ruled out the cloud seeding due to absence of rain bearing clouds.

Besides, it would require at least three months preparation to take up the cloud seeding as they need to procure equipment from other countries, float tenders and formulate guidelines.

In fact, he said the State Government had planned it during July but dropped the idea after several districts experienced good rains.