Hubballi: With good pre-monsoon showers and forecast of timely onset of south-west monsoon, farmers who experienced serious loss due to severe drought last time are now preparing their fields for sowing, expecting good crops this time.
Meanwhile, sowing area in Dharwad district is also expected to increase above the normal, due to possible conducive rainfall this time. With this, the Agriculture Department has also enhanced the sowing target for the ensuing kharif season in the district.
The initial projection of sowing on 2.56 lakh hectares of land in the district for this kharif season has now been increased to 2,70,840 hectares.
With the failure of pre-monsoon and monsoon rain last year, sowing was delayed and was less, while the crop loss during the kharif then was over 91% in the district. In a contrary situation this time, fields in the district are expected to host hectic sowing activities soon, bringing back the 'green look' to rural areas, as farmers are already engaged in preparations to keep the soil ready for sowing.
"With good rains as per the need, sowing in the district may cross 2.70 lakh hectares of land in the district. This target includes sowing of greengram on 67,150 hectares of land, cotton on 59,000 hectares, and maize on 57,175 hectares," said Agriculture Department joint director Kirankumar M.
Pre-monsoon showers in May, which play a crucial role in creating the moisture in soil required for sowing, have been 44 per cent excess than the normal rainfall so far in the district. The district has received 65 mm cumulative average rainfall against 45 mm normal, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSDMC).
The demand of seeds with subsidy for this kharif season in the district is estimated at 20,681 quintals, and the availability 23,779 quintals. In the kharif demand of 56,243 metric tonnes of fertilisers, the demand by May end would be 16,749 metric tonnes. Total availability for this season including those in storage and transport is 33,240 metric tonnes of fertilisers, and distribution for next three months is planned, Kirankumar added.