Till recently, tur was grown as a secondary crop. However, this year, tur dal is grown as a major commercial crop and the yield in the district may help the district surpass Gulbarga district, the tur bowl of the State.
Farmers told Deccan that they were apprehensive to grow vegetables, given only the rain-fed areas in the district. Growing ragi too would have been risky. “We found the dal as an alternative for ragi,” they said.
Experimentation
Inspired by the Agriculture University’s efforts in growing tur in rain-fed areas, the farmers here experimented in a small way. However, at least 50 to 60 percent farmers have switched to this crop, said farmers, Muniyappa and Narayanaswami.
The farmers can reap nearly two tonnes of dal in an acre, they said. “Unlike ragi, this crop is a safe option amid the price fluctuation,” they added.Sources in the department said the crop has been grown in 2,710 hectare in the five taluks of the district. Except Bangarpet, Kolar taluk records the major tur cultivation. Besides, the tur too fetches good money, they added.
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