Untimely rain leaves farmers worried in Kodagu

Untimely rain has left farmers worried about crop loss. The rain that lashed in June, July and August had already taken a toll on coffee growers. When they were reviving from the loss, once again rain has affected the crops.

Arabica coffee is normally harvested in the month of December. The sunshine helps in processing the harvested crop. Already, harvesting of the coffee beans have commenced in different parts of the district and the growers are struggling to dry the beans.

Those who have not harvested coffee are worried over the loss of crops. If the coffee beans start falling down in rain, then it will be spoiled, said growers.

Coffee beans have already riped in coffee estates at Napoklu, Chettimani, Ayyangeri, Siddapura, Kakkabbe, Gonikoppa, Ponnampet, Srimangala, Balele, Madapura, Sinkona and other surrounding areas.

The unseasonal rain has not only affected coffee but also sub crop like black pepper. “Farmers were expecting good pepper harvest. Owing to cloudy weather and increase in moisture content, black pepper bunches have started falling down,” said
farmers.

Washed away

Looking at the sky, coffee grower Roshan from Mekeri in Madikeri taluk said “Everything washed away in the rain. For the last two years, I could not reap the harvest.

“Last year atleast, we could get some amount of compensation. This year, compensation is yet to reach us. The government is considering coffee growers as rich. None are understanding our
woes.”

With the IMD predicting rain for two more days in the district, the farmers are worried over saving the crops.

Coffee Growers Association in Kodagu has predicted 40 % to 50% decline in harvest this year in the district. Office-bearers of the association has urged the state government to waive off the loans borrowed.

Untimely rain has also affected paddy cultivation. The standing paddy crop ready for harvest has been washed away in the rain. Even the harvested crop kept for drying has also been affected.

Ex-servicemen Ainanda Thammayya from Mugatageri had cultivated paddy on
10 acres of land. The paddy field is filled with water and is fearing the loss of crop.

After the harvest, he had kept paddy on the field for drying. Rain on Sunday has inundated the harvested paddy. The paddy cultivated by Ainanda Bopanna, Mandanna at Mugutageri too has been
damaged. The majority of the paddy fields in South Kodagu is filled with water. The standing crop can not be harvested, till the water in the field gets
dried.

Farmer Thammayya said, “there are possibility of sprouting of the paddy that has become wet, thus incurring huge loss to farmers.”