JOIN USFarmers in Kadur taluk of Chikkamagaluru district are in distress due to deficit rainfall.
The pre monsoon showers in the last week of April had raised hopes among the farming community for a good rainfall. This had made them to sow seeds of commercial crops.
However the eluding of rains even after completion of one month of rainy season has made the growers to worry over the future of the crops. “If rain fails, farmers will incur huge loss this year as well”, said an onion grower.
To cultivate onion on one acre land, the growers have to spend at least Rs 45,000 including sowing, removing weeds and applying fertilisers. A good yield can fetch at least 80 quintals of onion from one acre land. The lack of rainfall will, however, affect the yield per hectare.
At present, the onion growers are dependent on borewell for irrigating the farm land. Onion plants have grown well in Nagenahalli, Biluvala, Maccheri, Chikkabasoor and other areas. Onion has been sown on 1,894 hectares in the taluk.
According to horticulture department statistics, tomato is cultivated on 211 hectares land in Sakharayapattana hobli. However, in reality, tomato has been cultivated on more than 1,000 hectares of land. Farmers started sowing tomato seeds when the tomato price touched Rs 70 per kg.
On the other hand, potato is cultivated on 1024 hectares while green chilly is grown on 598 hectares.