Deficit summer rains hit pre-kharif work in Karnataka; mango, coffee yield to drop

Hubballi: Karnataka has reported a 11% deficit in summer showers this year, with the south interior and Malnad regions recording the highest deficit.

Between March 1 and May 7, the state was supposed to receive an average of 54 mm of rainfall. However, this year, the state overall received 48 mm of rainfall.

South interior Karnataka (SIK) received only 47 mm of pre-monsoon showers against a normal of 68 mm (30% deficit). The Malnad region received only 66 mm of rainfall against a normal of 84 mm (21% deficit).

North interior Karnataka (NIK), the hottest region in the state, received 16% excess summer showers, while the three coastal districts cumulatively received 11% deficit rainfall.

The summer showers are vital not only to bring down the temperature, but also for agricultural purposes. Farmers use the pre-monsoon showers to prepare their fields for kharif cultivation by enhancing the moisture content in their fields.

One of the worst-impacted crops by the lack of pre-monsoon showers is coffee in the Malnad region. Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan produce over 70% of India’s total coffee.

Former Coffee Board member Uday Kumar says summer showers (also known as coffee showers) are very vital as this is the period when coffee plants start developing berries.

“Lack of showers could impact nearly 20% of the yield in the coming days,” he says.

Though a majority of coffee estate owners have employed sprinkler systems, they cannot replace the natural process. “Sprinkler system lacks the uniformity that natural rain provides,” he says.

Sources in the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) told DH that pre-monsoon showers weren’t uniform across the north Karnataka region. “While some regions saw hailstorms and intense rainfall for a short period, there were several places in the region that have not recorded a single day of summer showers,” says a senior scientist at KSNDMC.

He says pre-monsoon showers are very important in providing environmental relief by bringing down the temperature.

“Many of the villages and taluks in Raichur, Yadgir, Vijayapura, Bidar, Ballari and Kalaburagi are constantly recording upwards of 41º Celsius. Due to lack of rain, there is no relief for people. In the long run, it could impact their health,” said the scientist.

Summer showers, also known as mango showers, had both positive and negative impacts on mango farmers in Kolar, Koppal and Dharwad districts. Hailstorms accompanied by gusty winds resulted in the falling of mangoes from trees in Dharwad.

For Darshan Gowda, a farmer from Srinivaspur in Kolar district, multiple mango showers came at the right time and he expects a better yield this season.