Good horticulture crop likely in Karnataka

Karnataka may be heading for a record horticultural crop in the current kharif season, thanks to the timely arrival of monsoon and good initial rainfall. But what can upset these prospects is excess rainfall in parts of the state, which is worrying farmers there.

According to a senior official at the Karnataka horticulture department, good coverage of the main crops such as potato, onion, tomato and chilli has taken place in the growing districts. Pest and disease attack is at a minimum and inter-cultivation, land preparation, nursery bed preparation and transplanting are going on well.

Till the June-end, the potato coverage has gone up by 85 per cent to 35,255 hectares. Agricultural operations in Hassan district, which contributes 65 per cent of the state's potato during the kharif season, are reportedly normal.

The onion coverage has gone up by 64 per cent to 8,306 hectares. The major onion growing districts such as Belgaum, Chitradurga, Dharwad and Gadag have received good rainfall.

Chilli coverage has virtually doubled to 10,914 hectares in Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Belgaum, Hassan and Chitradurga districts. But continued cloud cover has become a worrying factor for farmers as a good amount of sunlight is needed for growth of the chilli plant.

Tomato coverage, however, has gone up marginally as good rainfall in growing districts such as Bangalore (urban and rural), Kolar, Davanagere, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Belgaum, Haveri and Gadag has made farmers switch to other cash crops.

On the other hand, heavy rainfall has led to some crop loss for banana, arecanut, coconut and tomato. The worst affected districts are Belgaum, Chikmagalur and Raichur.