The failure of follow-up rainfall during the current kharif season has not only severely hampered sowing operations but is also causing moisture stress to the nearly one-month-old standing and germinated crops in the rain-fed areas in Ballari district.
As against the district average normal rainfall of 139 mm up to July 30, the district has recorded an average actual rainfall of 96 mm, a shortfall of 31 mm.
As a result, sowing achieved is only about 40 % of the targeted area of 3.65 lakh hectares — 2.10 lakh hectares rain-fed and 1.55 lakh hectares irrigated area.
The following is the taluk-wise rainfall data — normal and actual. Figures in bracket indicate deficit, in mm: Ballari 105, 58 (-45); Hadagali 152, 118 (-22); Hosapete 153, 90 (-40); Hagari Bommanahalli 137, 100 (-26); Kudligi 132, 111 (-16); Sandur 173, 106 (-39) and Sirguppa 148, 103 (-31).
As water was recently released into the canals from the Tungabhadra dam, sowing, especially transplantation of paddy, was yet to pick up.
As on July 30, cereals were sown in 1.21 lakh hectares, pulses in 8,996 hectares, oil seeds in 16,176 hectares and commercial crops in 9,285 hectares.
Jowar, maize, tur, groundnut, bajra, foxtail millet, among the major crops, already sown and germinated are facing moisture stress due to failure of follow-up rainfall.
The growth of the crops has also been stunted, according to sources in the Agriculture Department.
The condition of the standing/germinated crops in the rain-fed areas may worsen if it does not rain during the next fortnight, sources apprehended and added: “If it rains, at least 75 % of the crops, which are facing moisture stress, will recover.”
Sowing of cotton (4,965 hectares) and sunflower (3,309 hectares) has been far below the target of 57,190 hectares and 15,503 hectares, respectively.
Sowing may pick up shortly in the irrigated belts, and also transplantation of paddy.