K'taka to see bumper harvest this kharif

Karnataka is all set to record the highest-ever foodgrain production this year thanks to the rain gods. The state's farmers have already exceeded their sowing targets set for the kharif season which spans June to October.

The area under cultivation has gone up 13 per cent to 72 lakh hectares compared to the corresponding period of last year.

The state has set a record target of achieving 12 million tonnes of foodgrains, a growth of 33 per cent over the actual production last fiscal. The total foodgrain production target includes 10.8 million tonnes of cereals, 1.1 million tonnes of pulses.

The state is also targeting a growth of 69 per cent in oilseeds production at 1.9 million tonnes, 53 per cent growth in cotton production at 6.76 lakh bales during the present year compared to last year.

However, the state is discouraging sugarcane cultivation this year following a glut in production last year across the country. The target for the present year is 20 million tonnes, a fall of 7 per cent over the last fiscal. The tobacco cultivation is targeted to go up by 51 per cent to 68,000 tonnes.

However, as of September 10, 2007, sowing operations were above normal in 16 districts, normal in 10 districts and below normal in just one district. The total area under cereals has gone up 20.3 per cent to 35.05 lakh hectares during the period compared to 29.13 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year.

The area under pulses cultivation has risen 17.15 per cent to 14.68 lakh hectares compared to 12.53 lakh hectares during the same period last year. While the total area under oilseeds has gone up 5 per cent to 15.33 lakh hectares compared with the same period last year, the area under cash crops has declined 6.47 per cent to 6.79 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year.

While the area under the cereals like rice, ragi, maize and bajra has increased, the cultivation of jowar and minor millets has been marginally lower than last year. The area under pulses like tur dal, horse gram, green gram and black gram has considerably gone up indicating a bumper crop this year. The coverage of sunflower, castor and soyabean crops are more than the normal coverage.

According to officials in the agriculture department, the state is likely to achieve its targets for the present year. The state received a cumulative rainfall of 873 mm against normal rainfall of 701 mm, about 25 per cent higher than the normal during June 1 to September 9, 2007. All the districts recorded normal to above normal rainfall.