Mandya: Only 5% sowing completed as rainfall deficit hits 35%

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Deputy Commissioner Kumar presiding over a meeting on seed distribution and kharif season preparedness, in Mandya on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

With the southwest monsoon remaining weak and the district recording a 35 per cent rainfall deficit, Mandya Deputy Commissioner Kumar on Wednesday directed Agriculture Department officials to step up awareness among farmers on cultivating alternate crops to minimise losses and prepare a comprehensive contingency crop plan within a week.

Presiding over a review meeting at his office on seed distribution and kharif season preparedness, Mr. Kumar said that only 5 per cent of the district’s sowing target has been achieved so far due to inadequate rainfall, with sowing operations progressing at a slow pace.

The Deputy Commissioner said that if the monsoon continues to be delayed or fails, farmers should opt for short-duration, low water-requiring paddy varieties. He also directed the Agriculture Department to promote alternate crops such as ragi, foxtail millet (navane), maize, horse gram, cowpea and sunflower, which require less water and are better suited to deficient rainfall conditions.

To mitigate crop losses arising from adverse weather, Mr. Kumar instructed officials to prepare a district-level alternate crop plan and submit it within a week.

He directed the department to educate farmers on selecting crop varieties suited to prevailing weather conditions and adopting appropriate contingency farming practices.

He also instructed officials to appoint one nodal agricultural scientist for each of the district’s 31 hoblis to guide farmers on alternate cropping strategies and conduct awareness programmes at the grassroots level.

Assuring that there would be no shortage of fertilisers or certified seeds, Mr. Kumar said adequate stocks would be maintained to meet farmers’ requirements throughout the season.

He further directed Agriculture Department officials to intensify awareness campaigns through Raitha Samparka K