Agriculture output during the current kharif season in Karnataka could slump by almost 60-65% because of sudden floods in main paddy, groundnut, ragi (finger millet) and maize growing regions of the state because of the heavy rains that has been lashing the state since the last few days.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa claimed that standing crop in around 15 districts of the state are completely submerged in water because of the floods.
The worst-affected have been the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Koppal, Uttar Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Bidar, Raichur, Gadag, Bellary , Belgaum and Davangare, where all standing crop have been completely damaged, officials claimed.
They said around 65% of the kharif crops sown in around 68.93 lakh hectares till September 14 have been damaged in the recent floods. ?The exact damage figures could be arrived only after the assessment, which is under progress,? a senior state government official said.
Meanwhile, farmers said that damage has been extensive as most of the short-term crops (three-six months maturity) were in a matured state and were about to be harvested during the November-December period.
The major affected crops are rice, groundnut, ragi, maize, tur, soyabean, cotton and sugarcane.
Karnataka agricultural department has fixed a target to cover 72 lakh hectares under various crops during the current Kharif season that started in June.
In the total sown area, cereals were planted in around 34.76 lakh hectares while oilseeds were sown in around 13.34 lakh hectares. Pulses were planted in around 13.24 lakh hectares, while cash crops like cotton and sugarcane were sown in around 7.59 lakh hectares.
In fact coverage of kharif tur, maize, cotton and sugarcane exceeded the target this season.
Maize was sown in around 11.60 lakh hectares against the targeted area of 9.50 lakh hectares while tur was sown in around 6.03 lakh hectares, up from the targeted 5.80 lakh hectares.
The area under cotton was estimated to be around 2.92 lakh hectares against a target of 2.70 lakh hectares while sugarcane was planted in around 3.58 lakh hectares, against a target of 3.30 lakh hectares. Paddy (de-husked rice) was planted in around 10.31 lakh hectares in the state, against a target of 10.50 lakh hectares while Jowar was sown in around 2.46 lakh hectares.
Meanwhile, farmers and government officials said that the biggest burst of the monsoon fury will be felt by Ragi ? the largest consumed cereal in Karnataka, which could further propel retail price of this key commodity. The crop is mainly cultivated in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and certain bordering districts of Tamil Nadu Officials said that ragi has been planted in around 7.17 lakh hectares during the current kharif season, against a target of 8.40 lakh hectares.
Among, other crops, green gram has been sown in around 3.64 lakh hectares of land in the state, as against a target of 3.30 lakh hectares while sunflower has been sown in around 3.99 lakh hectares against a target of 5.0 lakh hectares.
Maximum area under kharif crops was sown in Belgaum district of the state ? one of the worst affected in the recent floods. Kharif crops were sown in around 6.71 lakh hectares, which was followed by Gulbarga at 6.61 lakh hectares, another flood-hit area.
Area under kharif crops in Mysore district was estimated at 4.16 lakh hectares, while that in Tumkur district was estimated at 4.04 lakh hectares. Kharif acreage in Bijapur and Devangere districts of the state were estimated to be at 3.74 lakh hectares 3.42 lakh hectares respectively.