Karnataka's coffee regions get patchy showers

Coffee-growing regions of Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan in Karnataka have received sporadic and patchy blossom showers.

“Patchy blossom shower is likely to affect coffee crop in the 2012-13 season (starting October),” said a senior Coffee Board official.

“Sporadic and patchy rainfall which occurred in the last two weeks of April is too late for robusta and not sufficient for arabica. One more round of showers will help the plants to bear fruits. This will also check pest attack on plants,” the official said.”

“Rainfall has been patchy and is good only in few pockets. About 50 to 60 per cent of all zones have had adequate rainfall with the balance areas receiving poor to insufficient showers,” said Mr Marvin Rodrigues, Chairman, Karnataka Planters' Association.

In Kodagu district, growing areas such as Suntikoppa and Siddapur and Chettalli have got good rainfall; but other zones such as Kutta in south Kodagu have received either poor or no rainfall.

In Hassan, areas such as Ballupet, Hanbal and Cheekanhalli rainfall was average, but Arehalli, Sakleshpur and parts of Bellur taluk such as Biccodu have had poor rainfall.

In Chikmagalur, Mallandur, parts of the Giris, Balehonnur and parts of Mudigere have had adequate rain, but areas such as Koppa, Jayapura, Baskall and other parts of Mudigere taluk have had poor or late rainfall.

A few growers in the three districts reported that about 20 to 25 per cent of the estates have not yet blossomed and are waiting for rains or some amount of moisture for plants to blossom.

According to Mr Sahadev Balakrishna, partner, Nethraconda Estates-Chikmagalur: “Rainfall is not uniform in Koppa, Jaipura and Balehonnur in Chikmagalur district. With the late rainfall, growers are not able to effectively irrigate their estates due to lack of water and shortage of power.”

>anil.u@thehindu.co.in

COMMENT NOW