'Heavy rains in state destroy 20% crops'

The recent heavy rains that battered parts of Karnataka have caused a 20 per cent crop loss, to the extent of Rs500 crore, according to preliminary estimates, Minister for Agriculture Umesh Katti said here today.

The minister said he would be calling on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar next week in Delhi to seek Central aid to compensate crop loss of farmers. Besides, he would also be pressing for withdrawal of ban imposed on paddy export from the state, he said.

The state had expected a good harvest during this Khariff season in the wake of the earlier copious rains as 98.9 per cent of the 7.4 million hectares of cultivable land had come under sowing, Katti told reporters here. However, in the last three weeks, parts of Chitradurga, Kodagu, Haveri, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Mandya, Hassan, Gadag, Belgaum, Chikkaballapur, Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Bijapur and Bagalkot experienced torrential downpour that destroyed standing crops.

It is now expected the food grain production, which was targetted at 12.3 million tonnes during Khariff may be reduced by at least 20 per cent and the survey to assess the crops loss is on, Katti said. The Centre is adopting step-motherly treat-ment on the issue of export ban, he charged while accusing the Union government of taking a decision to allow rice export from Punjab, much before the harvesting season had commenced there.

The state’s finance won’t permit granting of compensation to farmers for crop loss and the Centre has to step in to help, he said when asked about the state’s initiative.