Bengaluru: The anticipation of timely and well-distributed rainfall for the Pre-Monsoon and Southwest Monsoon period of 2023-24 led to a planned coverage of 82.35 Lakh hectares for the Kharif season in Karnataka. However, due to delayed monsoons this year, the sowing progress has been sluggish and the coverage limited. Out of the total planned area, only 10.59 Lakh hectares have been dedicated to paddy cultivation, a typical staple crop during the monsoon season.
According to the Agriculture Department’s latest statistics until June 6, 2023, only 0.054 Lakh hectares have been sown, compared to 0.319 Lakh hectares during the same period last year and the usual coverage of 0.454 Lakh hectares. This represents a mere 1% coverage instead of the normal 12%. The lack of pre-monsoon showers and the delayed onset of the Southwest Monsoons are cited as the reasons for this slow progress by Agriculture Department officials in Karnataka.
Among the different crop categories, cereals and pulses account for 57.50 Lakh hectares in Karnataka. Maize and paddy, the top cereals, traditionally occupy the largest cultivated area with 14.20 and 10.59 Lakh hectares, respectively. However, this year’s sowing coverage for maize is only 4% and for paddy, it is a mere 1%, compared to the normal coverage of 5% and 12% during a regular monsoon season. Due to the late and erratic monsoons, only 3% of the targeted land under cereals and pulses has been covered. The range of food grains includes Paddy, Jowar, Raagi, Maize, Bajra, wheat, minor millets, Tur, Bengal gram, horse gram, green gram, cowpea, flat beans, and moth bean, significantly lower than the usual coverage of 38%.
In the oilseeds category, which encompasses groundnut, sesame, sunflower, castor, niger, mustard, soybean, safflower, and linseed, the sowing coverage should have reached 30% of the total 9.84 lakh hectares by now. However, this year’s progress stands at only 3% of the land under oilseed cultivation.
Under commercial crops like Cotton, Sugarcane, and Tobacco, which usually cover 15.01 lakh hectares in the state, only 22% of the usual sowing has been achieved due to the delayed monsoons. Typically, by this point in time, the coverage reaches up to 93%.
Overall, the slow progress and limited coverage in Kharif sowing pose significant challenges for Karnataka’s agricultural sector in the current monsoon season.