It's a double whammy for Dharwad farmers

The pre-monsoon showers which lashed the district over the past fortnight have proved to be a double whammy for farmers.

The peasants, who had burnt their fingers during the rabi season, had taken to horticultural crops.

However, their hopes have been washed away with the recent downpour destroying mango crop.

Agriculture officials told Deccan Herald that the district has received above normal rain this season.

Dharwad taluk has recorded a rainfall of 79 mm against the normal rain of 64 mm.

Similarly, it has rained 65.9 mm in Hubli, 73.2 mm in Kalghatagi, 69.6 mm in Kundgol and 65 mm in Navalgund.

The officials said that the pre-monsoon rain would help farmers in early sowing for the kharif season.

However, officials in the Horticulture department said that mango grown on 303 hectares in the district has been completely damaged and so is the case with banana grown on 50 hectares.