Kadur taluk which was once the heaven for ragi cultivation, having a history of each farmer growing 200 quintals of ragi on particular years, this year has seen a set back in ragi cultivation due to lack of rain.

The farmers who could not grow any other crop on this soil due to lack of rain during the last two years, were this year hopeful of ragi yield which would at least provide food to them and fodder to the cattle. But now the farmers have turned a disappointed lot, with rain not yet showing mercy at them.

It is decades old tradition that the farmers in Panchanahalli, Singatagere, Chowlagiriyur, Birur, Matthighatta, Yallambalase cultivate ragi in thousands of acres of land as it provides them food and fodder to the cattle. But in the last few years, the yield has decreased considerably, thanks to the untimely and lack of rain. The situation has so worsened that the farmers who used to grow ragi in hundreds of acres of land, now are forced to purchase ragi from the market for their daily use. 

“Having spent thousands of rupees on the ragi cultivation which includes the labour charges, seeds, fertilisers etc, we are now left in the lurch as the rain has not showed mercy upon us. We are trying hard to save our cattle which does not get enough fodder to survive,” said Rajappa, a farmer from Yallambalase.

Agriculture Department Officer Shivanna said that as per the information available with the department, ragi was sown in 31 hectares of land and the study reveals that the cultivation would be a failure this year due to the lack of rainfall.

The farmers are demanding the elected representatives to provide a permanent solution to the problem by implementing Hebbe and Upper Bhadra irrigation projects at the earliest.