State's kharif crop could be down 12 per cent

Karnataka's kharif crop coverage is down 11.76 per cent to 150,000 hectares as compared to previous year's coverage of 170,000 hectares. The state has fixed a target of 7 million hectare for the 2008-09 kharif season.

According to a senior agriculture department official, "The shortfall in the crop coverage is due to dry spells the state faced in mid-April and early May."

"According to initial reports from districts, kharif crop coverage has been good in Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajnagar. But in the districts of Hassan, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga and Tumkur it is normal," he added.

Of the 150,000-odd hectares, area under cotton has been 36,000 hectares, jowar 21,000 hectares, pulses (cow pea, black gram and green gram) 34,000 hectares, oil seeds (sesame and sunflower) 32,000 hectares and cash crops (tobacco) 17,000 hectares.

Meanwhile, the area under jowar and minor millets is less than that of last year. But, the area under rice, ragi, maize and bajra is more than that of last year. "We are expecting good rains during the next 2-3 months and do not expect any variation in our target," the official said.

This Kharif season, Karnataka is part of the central government scheme (Mini Mission-II of Technology Mission on Cotton) to increase the production and productivity of cotton. "To achieve this, the state is required to make separate budgetary allocations and we are moving towards this," the official said.

The Centre has also pitched in to encourage other crops in sugarcane areas to less water intensive crops wherever water shortage is being anticipated.

"To ensure good production and availability of quality planting material, we are making efforts to provide planting material for tissue culture. This season we will adopt integrated pest management (IPM) measures against wooly aphid (insects that live on plant fluids) in sugarcane-growing regions in the state," he said.