'Don't worry about ragi crop'

Farmers can cut ragi ears and dry them once the weather is sunny: Official

He was speaking to mediapersons after holding a discussion at the monthly meeting organised at the Department’s office here on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by the assistant director and technical assistants.

Conducive for drying

Chikkanna said ragi had been cultivated on a total of 57,000 acres of land in the district.
Before the rains, only 10 per cent of ragi had been harvested. Now that the rains had stopped, however, the atmosphere will be conducive for the drying of ragi crops, the Joint Director said.

Farmers have to anticipate trouble if the the rains continue to lash the district. This will spell trouble to the ragi crops which are now all set for harvesting.

Immediate alternative

However, there is another solution on hand. Farmers can cut the ragi ears, collect them and then dry them once the weather is sunny.

Thus, there are not much worries for the ragi farmers. The rains which lashed the district after November 1 was necessary for the kharif crops and the summer crops.

Since the rains were steady and continuous, it was felt that it had rained heavily. However, these rains have not helped fill the lakes and ponds, the joint director explained.

Cannot be uploaded

Instead of steady rains, the district was in need of heavy rains, he said and added that since the hobli centres did not have computer facilities, it was not possible to upload all the activities of the Agriculture Department online.

Compensation

The process of providing compensation to the family members of the farmer who died in Yadahalli village in the district was on. After receiving the reports of the last rites, further action will be taken, he said.

Assistant Director of the Department from Bangarpet Dhananjaya, Rangaswamy from Malur, Munirangappa from Srinivaspur, Gayathree from Kolar, technical assistants Mahesh and Ravi, Mulbagal Officer Shubha and several others were present on the occasion.