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Higher prices for cash crops seem to have encouraged farmers in Karnataka to opt for cotton, sugarcane and tobacco.
Poor monsoon coverage and non-availability of fertilisers in a few districts in south interior Karnataka, too, have played a role in lower sowing of kharif crops in Karnataka. Rain-fed areas at 91.04 lakh hectares (lh) in the State is almost thrice of the irrigated areas of 37.89 lh. It explains why monsoon has had a hand in drop in kharif crop coverage, particularly in the coastal region.
According to Agriculture Department, the area under kharif is down by 16.56 per cent at 43.97 lh against 54.14 lh during the same time last year. The normal coverage is 52.70 lh. Ironically, the State Government had fixed a kharif coverage target of 74.65 lh.
Sowing in seven districts is above normal, while it is normal in 16 districts and below normal in seven districts. According to the University of Agricultural Sciences – Dharwad, the coverage is higher in case of cash crops followed by cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
This is due to remunerative price for cash crops in the open market and the Centre's Accelerate Pulses Production Programme for cereals and pulses. Under the programme, Gulbarga district was targeted but poor monsoon affected pulses sowing.
Cereals : The area under cereals is down by 17.08 per cent at 18.69 lh. Last year, 22.54 lh were covered during the same time. The normal coverage area is 22.30 lh.
Pulses : The area under pulses has dropped by 30.58 per cent to 9.26 lh against last year's 13.34 lh and normal coverage of 11.16 lh.
Oilseeds: The coverage of oilseeds has declined by 23.71 per cent to 7.59 lh. During the same time last year, 9.95 lh were under oilseeds against the normal coverage of 13.18 lh.
Cash crops : The area under cash crop is up marginally at 8.43 lakh hectares against last year's 8.31 lakh hectares and the normal 6.05 lh.
Region-wise, sowing has been completed in 11.39 lh against 16.21 lh during the same time a year ago in south interior Karnataka. Normally, kharif coverage is 13.47 lh.
In the north interior parts of the State, 28.04 lh have been brought under kharif cultivation against 32.67 lh last year (normal 34.47 lh).
In Malnad and coastal regions, 3.27 lh (3.87 lh) and 1.28 lh (3.73 lh) have been covered under kharif crops.
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