The incessant rains that have lashed many parts of Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts in the past two months have left planters worried. Many are of the opinion that 50% of the crop is already lost and if the rains do not stop immediately, the remaining would be too.
Coffee, pepper and arecanut are the worst-affected in several parts of Chikkamagaluru, Mudigere, N.R. Pura, Sringeri, Koppa, Sakleshpur, and Alur taluks. Hundreds of acres of plantation and paddy fields have been inundated following heavy rain.
The records show that these two districts have been receiving excess rainfall in the past two months. Since June 1, Hassan has received an average rainfall of 758.72 mm — 60% more than the normal of 474.6 mm. In the past seven days, the district received 122.34 mm of rain, against the normal of 37.1 mm.
Chikkamagaluru district has received 1,420.24 mm of rain since June 1, against the normal of 1,037 mm — an excess of 37%. In the past seven days, the district received 249 mm of rain, against the normal of 92.10 mm.
The Karnataka Growers’ Federation, an organisation representing planters of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts, has demanded that the State government provide relief to growers who have suffered huge losses owing to rain. The organisation also took the Coffee Board to task for not assessing the losses suffered by coffee growers.
B.S. Jayaram, president of the federation, said: “So far, officers of the Coffee Board and the departments concerned have not visited the fields to assess the losses and submit a report to the State government. The government should record the loss and provide compensation.”