Kharif crop output, primarily rice, will a take hit in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka following poor water storage in reservoirs. But currently, with monsoon playing hide and seek game, the water level in all reservoir in Karnataka, declined considerably.
In the Cauvery river basin, total water available is around 16 tmcft, against 41 tmcft recorded in June last year. Water level in all ten reservoirs of Cauvery and Krishna basin is far too less compared to last year.
The agriculture in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are interdependent. Tamil Nadu farmers could take up Kharif cultivation only if Karnataka records bountiful rains during Southwest monsoon. The river Cauvery originated from Karnataka is main source for irrigation in rice cultivating areas in Tamil Nadu.
Currently, the water level in the KRS dam declined to 72.22 ft from 103.06 ft recorded in the same period a year ago against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.80 ft. The outflow is meager 193 cusecs compared to 581 cusecs last year. The storage level in Kabini reservoir tumbled to 2,264.58 ft from 2,266.29 ft against the FRL of 2,284 ft. The outflow stood at 106 cusec against 500 cusec last year.
The level in Hemavathy dam stood at 2,867.17 ft, down from 2,888.35 ft against the FRL of 2,922 ft while level in Bhadra reservoir declined to 2,102.91 ft from 2,119 ft against the FRL of 2,158 ft. Tungabadhra?s water level too tumbled to 1,586.04 ft from 1,603.22 ft compared to FRL of 1,633 ft while level in Malaprabha dam stood at 2035.27 ft, down from 2045.27 ft compared to FRL of 2079.95 ft.
The accumulated water in the Krishna basin stood at only 71.29 tmcft, down from a whopping 124.21 tmcft. This Kharif, Karnataka has set a target to cultivate crops covering 72 lakh hectare including cereals on 34.80 lakh hectare, pulses 13.70 lakh hectare, oil sedds 16.50 hectare of oil seeds and commercial crops on 7-lakh hectare. But with uncertainty in rains, farmers have carried out sowing only on 3.87 lakh hectare (till June 8), down from 4.57 lakh hectare a year ago.
According to Karnataka government sources, water should be released for agriculture operations in July from all reservoirs.
The government may not be in a position to release water if it failed to witness adequate rain in the catchment areas.
The situation is Tamil Nadu is still grim. Tamil Nadu farmers in Delta region comprising districts like Tiruchi, Tanjavur and Tiruvarur, used to carry out rice cultivation covering 3.5 lakh acre during Kharif. But this season, the rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu is expected to take a major hit as the water release in TN?s major reservoir Mettur Dam has been delayed.
The water in Mettur dam was not released on June 12 (the customary date for water release every year) as the reservoir recorded only 25 tmc. The water from Mettur dam could be released only if it receives another 15 tmc.
Currently 70,000 acre depending on ground water irrigation in Delta region took rice cultivation, while farmers are waiting for water release from Mettur dam to take cultivation in the remaining 2.8 lakh acre. Tamil Nadu farmers used to cultivate 100-120 days hybrid rice varieties in Delta region every year.
Three tones of rice could be harvested from an acre. As a rule of thumb, 8.40 lakh tonne of rice could be harvested from 2.80 lakh acre. Currently the price offered for per tonne rice stood at Rs 10,000 at the state government procurement centres.
But, if the water release from Mettur dam was delayed further, the rice cultivation will affect this season, incurring a loss of whopping Rs 840 crore to farmers.