Dist farmers in pitiable condition

Amidst truant rains, water crisis, incomplete sowing, the yield is expected to reduce

As it is, Kolar is infamous for its drinking water crisis, and also, for its drought. With failure of monsoon rains, this year too, thousands of farmers in the district are left in the lurch.

There are about 59,500 small farmers and 1.45 lakh very small farmers in Kolar district. Apart from them, the future of 1.80 lakh farm labourers is in a dilemma. The failure of crops has manifestated into two kinds of problems. On one hand, if scarcity of rainfall has led to incomplete sowing operations, on the other hand, fields where the sowing operations have already been completed, have failed to yield.

Thus both, failure of rains and lack of drinking water have had its toll on the agricultural crops. According to the statistics available, about 19 per cent of sowing operations have been completed in the district.

Thus, the district administration is now burdered with the responsibility of providing drinking water and compensation for crop failure, at the same time.

The sowing operations were supposed to be completed in total 95,485 hectare area. However, due to lack of rainfall, sowing was possible only in 18,512 hectare area.

Sowing operations in 77,000 hectare area is yet to be undertaken. In the forthcoming kharif period, whatever has been sowed, is not expected to yield any result. Instead of the expected 1,42,126 tonne produce, only 17,391 tonne produce can be expected.

Reduction in sowing

Ragi which was supposed to be sowed in 63,000 hectare area, has been sowed in 7,415 hectare area only.

Similarly, paddy which was supposed to be sowed in 4,000 hectare area, has been sowed only in 357 hectaer area, maize which was supposed to be cultivated in 900 hectare, has been cultivated only in 139 hectare area.

Tur was supposed to be 4,250 hectare area, has been cultivated only in 808 hectare area, while, Bengal gram was supposed to be sowed in 13,000 hectare area, is being sowed only in 7,733 hectare area, while mustard has been sowed in 83 hectare area, instead of 610 hectare.

These are only the statistics of some of the main crops, available in the district.
Among the total crops sowed, Bengal gram in 5,321 hecate area, tur in 453 hectare area, ragi in 1,623 hectare area has completely dried up.

With this, the Bengal gram produce is expected to reduce from 75 per cent to 80 per cent, this year, according to the estimate made by the district administration.

Compensation

Compensation has to be provided to the small and very small farmers, by fixing Rs 2,000 to every hectare. The fields which have already been sowed belonging to the small and very small farmers in an area of 6,579 hectare, unsowed fields of 53,800 hectare area and sowed lands belonging to those who are not small and very small farmers which is 6,321 hectare area, and 23,173 hectare area which has not been sowed, thus compensation has to be provided for totally 89,873 hectare area.

Horticulture badly hit

Kolar district regularly supplies fruits and vegetables to the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and also Bangalore. However, even fruits and vegetables have been badly hit. The horticultural produce are also affected.

The horticultural crops were supposed to be sowed in total 13,470 hectare area and produce of 3.71 lakh tonne was expected. However, horticultural crops were sowed only in 6,283 hectare area and only 1.5 lakh tonne produce is expected. Thus, due to drought, the district is facing a loss of 60,000 tonne horticultural produce. And the loss in terms of rupees is Rs 52.48 lakh, nearly half a crore.

The sowed lands which include 5,091 hectare area and unsowed land which include 5,102 hectare area, belonging to small and very small farmers and the sowed lands which include 1,192 hectare area and unsowed land which include 2,085 hectare area, belonging to small and very small non-farmers should get compensation.

If each hectare should get an amount of Rs 4,000 compensation, then the total compensation amount for the horticultural crops will be Rs 5.39 crore, according to the estimates made by the district administration. The farmers are in a very pathetic situation. Whatever has been sowed has failed to produce the expected yield. Most of the farmers are hesitant of switching over to alternate cropping.

All they now want is compensation for the crop loss, apart from waiting for the truant rains. The officials have stated a proposal has also been sent in this regard and they are waiting for the compensation amount,” they added.