Excess rain, disease dampen Karnataka tur growers' spirits

The Central government’s target of achieving 16.8 million tonnes of pulses production during the current year (2010-11) is likely to be missed as Karnataka, one of the major producers of tur (redgram or pigeon pea) is facing multiple problems. The state’s tur output has been affected owing to excess rain and disease attack in major growing areas.

Karnataka accounts for about 10 per cent of the national production of pulses with tur and bengalgram being the major crops.

During the kharif season in 2010, tur was sown on a record 833,000 hectares compared to 750,000 hectares last year. In Gulbarga alone, which accounts for majority of the state’s tur output, sowing was done on 480,000 hectares. Other districts like Bijapur, Bagalkot, Bidar and Raichur had also seen area expansion this year, thus raising hopes for a bumper crop.

 

According to provisional estimates of the state agriculture department, the production of pulses is estimated at 1.47 million tonnes this year. Of this, tur production is pegged in excess of 400,000 tonnes as against 282,000 tonnes last year. The average production is about 5 quintals per hectare.

However, calculations have changed for worse suddenly with excess rain as well as moisture during the month of December. Incidences of sterility mosaic disease (SMD) in many parts also damaged the crop. There was decline in the germination of the crop in three taluks of Gulbarga, such as Afzalpur, Aland and Jewargi, due to occurrence of the disease. Almost 45 per cent of the crop is damaged in these taluks.

In addition to this, excess rain in other taluks like Sedam, Chitapur and Chincholi damaged over 50 per cent of the crop. The average production is likely to decline from about four-six quintals per acre to two-three quintals per acre this year. The Karnataka Pradesh Redgram Growers’ Association estimates the current year production of tur to be in the range of 1.2 million quintals to 1.5 million quintals.

“The harvesting of the tur crop has commenced in major growing areas and will continue till end of January. It is too early to predict the exact impact of SMD on tur and measure the quantity of output,” an official in the agriculture department said.

Meanwhile, prices have seen drastic fall in the open market and are currently traded at Rs 2,500-3,500 a quintal depending on the quality, a decline of 44 per cent compared to last year prices. The prices are way below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,000 a quintal announced by the Centre for the current year.

“The absence of a procurement centre by the government agencies is to be blamed for the drop in prices as most of the private trade is quoting below the MSP. The only hope for farmers in north Karnataka was the Tur Board of Karnataka, but this year, they have not opened their procurement centres till now,” said Basavaraj Ingin, president, Karnataka Pradesh Redgram Growers’ Association.

Farmers have demanded both the state and Central governments to immediately open procurement centers to help farmers get a better price for their produce. “The Central government had announced an incentive of Rs 500 a quintal for distress sale to farmers. But they are not getting any benefit out of it this year since there is no government-run procurement centre in place this year,” he said.

Farmers have demanded the state government to bring in some sort of legislation to prevent private traders purchase agriculture produce below the MSP.