Bagalakote: The farmers of the District, who have been hit by natural calamities such as floods for the last three years, have not recovered financially. Fluctuations in prices due to Covid have caused many hardships. Amid this, now the farmers of the District are all set to plough land with all hope for the year. They are making all the necessary preparations for the Monsoon.
The adequate pre-monsoon rains have brought a smile on the faces of the farmers. In the midst of many hardships, the farmers are all set to fill the rice bowl of the world. Agriculture, and Horticulture Department has made all preparations for distribution of seeds and fertilisers as per the demand of the farmers. A total of 2,65,000 areas are targeted for sowing. In the current monsoon, jowar, tur, moong etc. are being planned to sow in 1,60,000 hectares and sugarcane in 1.5 hectares land.
In Badami Taluk, sowing has been targeted at 57,000 hectares, Bagalkote 29,000 hectares, Bilagi 24,425 hectares, Hunagund 42,925 hectares, Jamakhandi 66,650 hectares and Mudhol 45,000 hectares. Among cereals, maize is expected to be sown in 41,700 hectares and bajra in 23,000 hectares, while tur in 30,000 hectares and moong in 32,000 hectares. Sunflower is expected to be sown in an area of approximately 24,000 hectares. Seed stocks of pre-kharif and kharif crops have already been made available at Raitha Samparka Kendras. There is a stock of 240 quintals of moong, 135 quintals of urad, 300 quintals of tur, and 1050 quintals of soya bean.
The officials at the Agriculture Department said that the crops of maize, bajra and sunflower will be stocked and supplied soon.
In addition to the total 18 Raitha Samparka Kendras in the District, arrangements have been made to distribute seeds to the farmers through 9 additional sowing seed centres. The additional seed allocation required for the District has already been asked to be provided from the Headquarters. The stored seeds are being sent to the laboratory for quality testing. The seeds will be supplied and distributed as per the sowing schedule of kharif season. As the stock of fertilizers required for sowing is adequate, the farmers have requested to cooperate by providing Aadhaar number to get the purchase of fertilizers through POS machine, they added.
The District has so far received 57.9 mm of rainfall against the actual rainfall of 158.5 mm. Taluk-wise Badami received 124.3 mm, Bagalkot 156 mm, Bilagi 176.7 mm, Hunagund 118.5 mm, Jamakhandi 218.2 mm, Mudhol 200.8 mm, Guledagudda 125.9 mm, Rabakavi-Banahatti 196.0 mm, Ilakal 120.4 mm.
Speaking to Newskarnataka Agriculture Department Joint Director Dr. Chetana Patil said, “In standard self-pollinated crops, which will be distributed to farmers at a concessional rate by the Agriculture Department for the current year, seeds of the same crop/ varieties will be distributed to the farmers who have once distributed seeds on the basis of seed substitution ratio in standard self-pollinated crops to be distributed to the farmers after the next three years. Seeds of the same crop, varieties will not be distributed to such farmers in the coming year for any reason. Seeds of other crops and varieties will be distributed in the coming years only if the farmers want to convert the crop. This system does not apply to the years when a natural calamity has occurred. Purchase of seeds and fertilizers should be done. The seeds should be procured within the stipulated time.”
