Deccan Herald
- Delay in onset of monsoon
Mangalore, Aug 2: Though the prediction had been good for the khariff crop, it appears that the district may not achieve the cultivation target this year. The target was to cultivate paddy on 35,000 hectares of land.
Paddy has been cultivated in 28,441 hectares of land as on July 30. Last year, the paddy was cultivated in 33,090 hectares of land. However, this year it will be less by 100 hectares owing to the delay in the onset of monsoon to Dakshina Kannada district. Though the sowing can be continued till August 15, it can not reach the target, said Agriculture Officer (Technical) K P Palichandra.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said the target for paddy cultivation in Mangalore is 12,700 hectares but the sowing has been completed in 28,441 hectares of land by the end of July. In Bantwal taluk, the target was to cultivate paddy on 9,500 hectares, while the sowing has been completed only in 8,870 hectares.
In Belthangady taluk, the target was 8,375 hectares, but sowing is completed in 7,620 hectares. In Puttur taluk, the target was to cover 3,940 hectares but the sowing has been done in 2,015 hectares. In Sullia, the land under paddy cultivation was just 485 hectares, but the sowing is complete in 468 hectares of land, sources added.
To complete the sowing on time, 17 Raitha Samparka Kendras in the district have been supplying seeds and other agricultural equipment at concessional rates. But still the land sown is less compared to last year. Last year, during the same period, sowing was completed in 30,879 hectare land, he added.
Less land
He said the agricultural land has been declining over the years in Dakshina Kannada district. Many agricultural lands have been converted into non agricultural land. Nearly 400 acres of land has vanished from the scene in Mangalore City itself in the last five years.
This is causing a major concern for the department. The officials have been urging the farmers to sow high yielding variety seeds like M 04, Jaya, Jyothi to increase the production. This year, the department has developed Sri method under which sowing has been completed in 122 hectares of land.
Less rainfall
Though it has been raining heavily in the district, the amount of rainfall is less compared to last year. The normal rainfall in July is 1,305.22 mm, but this year, the district has received 984.84 mm rainfall in July. Last year, it was 995.05 mm.
New scheme
He said the agriculture department has introduced ‘Samagra jola abhivridhi yojane’ under which a pilot project will be undertaken in six acres of land for growing jowar in the district.