Fertiliser required this monsoon is about 87,000 tonnes for the district. As against the demand of 26,336 tonne in April and May, the authorities have already distributed 31,223 tonnes of fertiliser. During April-May last year, 26,235 tonnes of fertiliser were distributed.
As against an estimated demand of 12,000 MT in the present month, the authorities have planned to provide 14,337 tonnes of fertiliser. The demand is expected to rise to 15,250 tonnes in July when agricultural operations scale up.
Giving these figures today at a press meet, Mysore MP C H Vijayashankar said there was no shortage of fertiliser, seeds or pesticides in the district. All steps to procure them in the required quantities to meet the farmers' demand have already been initiated.
Joint director of agriculture Vishakanta said water level in Krishnarajasagar, the mainstay of irrigation, was comfortable this season. The level was around 97 feet even during summer, when it generally is around 60 feet. Monsoon having set in, catchment areas were having rains and inflow into the reservoir has begun. Hence, farmers under KRS would not suffer.
Till June-end, the rainfall in the district was 303.4 mm against the average of 291.3 mm. Last year, it was 151.3 during the period. The district had recorded 37.4 mm of rains till June 15 this year, against the normal of 65.2 mm for the month.
H D Kote, Hunsur and Mysore received less rain, while four taluks experienced more than average. As against the target of 459,460 hectares during 2008-09 monsoon, 35 per cent of the area was being cultivated. in the district. Under rain-fed area, the target was 339,530 hectares, while 47 per cent (159,141 hectares) was already sown. Only 3 per cent of the irrigated area had come under cultivation so far (1,902 hectares), against the target of 119,930 hectares, Vishakanta said.
Rs 1.56 crore has been set apart for providing financial assistance to small and marginal farmers, who will be provided 17,061 quintal seeds of various crops, while the stock availability is 27,192 quintals.
Paddy forms a major part of this, 16,419 quintals for which Rs 1.1 crore has been set apart for financial assistance.
Use of chemical-based pesticides is being discouraged and neem oil, and other indigenous crop protection ways are being advocated among farmers, the joint director said.
With problems of tobacco growers in the district solved, they would see better days, the BJP MP added.
