Date:27/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/27/stories/2008082755180600.htm

Karnataka

Rain rekindles hopes of groundnut farmers

Staff Correspondent

Chances of farmers losing crop were high
Bumper crop likely if it rains again

Chitradurga: With rain lashing Chitradurga district on Sunday, the hopes of groundnut farmers of reaping a good crop have been rekindled.

The groundnut farmers were in distress owing to erratic and scanty rainfall this year. Many farmers had started sowing late as the district did not receive timely rain, while some had completed sowing in the hope of good rain. However, owing to inadequate and delayed rain, the chances of farmers losing their crop were high.

As per the Meteorological Department, till Monday, the district has received around 48 per cent rain against the expected 58.8 per cent. The department is expecting a few more spells of rain by the end of the month.

The total cultivable land in the district is about 3.58 lakh hectares, of which the share of groundnut is around 1.5 lakh hectares, making it a major crop of the district.

According to the Agriculture Department, groundnut sowing has been completed in 1.42 lakh hectares in the district. Groundnut is largely grown in Molakalmur, Challakere, parts of Chitradurga and Hiriyur taluks of the district.

The farmers of Molakalmur and Challakere are solely dependent on groundnut as they grow this crop in one-crop-a-year pattern.

Several oil mills of the district also depend on this crop. On Sunday, there was rain in Challakere, Molakalmur and Hiriyur.

Last year, the district had reaped a bumper groundnut crop due to copious rain. The total harvest, according to the Agriculture Department, was around 1.42 lakh tonnes, with an average harvest of 986 quintals per hectare.

“With Sunday’s rain, groundnut farmers can expect a good crop. However, they can reap a bumper crop this year too if there are a few more spells of rain within a month,” said farmer and agriculture expert G.S. Ujjanappa.