Bangalore: Pomegranate farmers who have lost their crop due to bacterial blight disease would be compensated, Deputy Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa promised a delegation of growers from Jagalur, Sira and Hiriyur taluks in Chitradurga district.

Mr. Yediyurappa, who met the growers on Friday with Horticulture Minister Shashikanth Akkappa Naik said that the Government would extend financial assistance to them. The crop in Tumkur, Koppal, Bagalkot and Bijapur districts has also been affected by the disease.

Pomegranate is grown in 11,162 hectares, and Koppal district alone produces 3000 tonnes a year. The "Bhagva" variety which is of good quality is in great demand.

Mr. Naik promised the growers that he would ask Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to agree for compensation of Rs. 4,000 per acre of crop (for a maximum of 10 acres) under the National Horticultural Mission (NHM) for organic farmers of pomegranate. Grape and arecanut growers would also be provided help if their crops were affected by disease.

Growers in other districts are also interested in taking up pomegranate cultivation as they would get Rs. 22,500 subsidy per hectare.

A member of the delegation said that Karnataka exported Rs. 2,000 crore worth horticultural produce to the European Union, which insists on organically grown fruit. The State exported 2,000 tonnes of pomegranate worth Rs.10 crore in 2006 as compared to 800 tonnes in the previous year.

Hardship

He said that growers had been put to great hardship in some areas in the past three years owing to the blight disease.

They also fear the spread of the disease to the adjacent vineyards. He urged scientists of the University of Agricultural Sciences to find a cure for the disease.

A preliminary survey of the areas in Chitradurga and Tumkur districts has been made and a special package has been taken up under the NHM.

Growers would get Rs.10,000 for one hectare for taking up the integrated pest and integrated nutrition management programme, and 500 hectares of pomegranate cultivation would be identified for assistance under the scheme. Farmers would also be encouraged to cultivate "moosambi" (sweet lime) and a subsidy of Rs. 22,500 would be given for cultivation in one hectare. Here too assistance would be given to 500 hectares in each district.

Horticulture Department sources said that it was in touch with the National Research Centre for Pomegranate in Maharashtra to seek ways in which the blight disease could be controlled. Efforts are also afoot to bring pomegranate under insurance cover.

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