JOIN USGulbarga awaits bumper tur crop
Known for its quality tur production in the entire state, the district’s tur crops have benefited from the favourable weather and atmospheric conditions this season. Since tur, also known as red gram, is the only cash crop of the district, hundreds of small, medium and big farmers opt for its cultivation.
The Agriculture Department had a target of covering tur in 2.9 lakh hectares, but the area under tur cultivation this season has gone up to 3.7 lakh hectares, i.e., about a lakh hectare more than what is usually covered every year.
Farmers feel that there would be a substantial upswing in the yield also. The increase may be up to nine quintal per acre rising from five to six quintal per acre in some places.
At present, tur is in the flowering stage with 30 per cent of the crop already flowered. The crop is reasonably free from pest attacks and diseases, especially wilt, sterility, morucca pest and podborer.
The bumper cultivation is especially good news after the losses suffered last year due to floods and heavy rain.
“Tur crop has suffered a loss in about 59,000 ha due to excess rains resulting in a loss of about Rs 50 crore,” Joint Director of Agriculture M Chandrashekhar said, adding, the condition of the crop in rest of the area was by and large good.
However, this season appears to be compensating for the loss last year with the yield expected to be around 3.5 lakh tonne. Gulbarga district together contributes 36 per cent to the State’s tur production.
However, farmers are worried about the possible crash in tur price as the State government plans to introduce market intervention to stabilise prices.
Last year was the best in history in terms of remunerative price for tur. The price went up to Rs 6,000 per quintal which was unheard of in the past. However, the price currently has steeply crashed to Rs 3,000 per quintal.