Letup in rainfall gives relief to Tumkur farmers

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, AUG. 26. Rains stopped here on Saturday, providing relief to farmers in Tumkur District. Rainfall was almost incessant during the last 32 days in all parts of the district.

In July, the district faced drought due to scanty rainfall. Hardly 20 per cent of the cultivable lands had been sown. However, with good rainfall all over, the sowing operation was in full swing in August, and over 85 per cent of the land was sown. However, the farmers were worried that continuous rainfall would destroy the seeds sown. The letup in rainfall this morning came as a relief. The farmers expect sunshine for, at least, a week for the seeds to sprout.

Sowing was completed in 2.15 lakh hectares of the 2.44 lakh hectares available for cultivation in the district. Ragi was sown in 1.83 lakh hectares. Last year, ragi was sown in 1.54 lakh hectares.

Paddy was sown only in 13, 521 acres against 21, 596 acres last year. Nearly 24,000 acres of land is available for paddy cultivation. In case of pulses, 66 per cent of sowing was completed. Togari, (toor), huruli (horse gram) and avare were grown in 12,109 acres, 729 acres and 12,108, respectively. Black and green gram were also sown in the district.

Groundnut, a major crop in Madhugiri, Pavagada and Sira talks, was sown in 1.53 lakhs hectares, against 1.62 lakh hectares last year. Oil seeds were sown in 1.63 lakh hectares out of 1.86 lakh hectares available. Last year, oil seeds were sown in 1.75 lakh hectares.

Cotton, sugarcane and tobacco are among the commercial crops cultivated in Tumkur District and they were sown in 1629 hectares against 1838 hectares, last year.

The jubilation of farmers over heavy rain in 14 villages was shortlived, as tanks there breached. Repair of some of them has been taken up on priority basis. Losses due to breach of tanks were estimated at Rs. 8.50 crores.

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