Kharif coverage area down by 7% in Karnataka

BANGALORE: The Kharif coverage of the state as on September 26 is down by 6.89 per cent at 68.88 lakh hectare, as compared with 73.98 lakh hectare covered in the same period previous year.

For the year 2011-12, the state has fixed a target to cover the 74.65 lakh hectare.

According to the agriculture department of the state, the inadequate rainfall in the few key pulses growing areas is the major reason for the decline in kharif crop area. In total, the sowing status was 'above normal' in 10 districts, and 'normal' in 20 districts as per September 26.

In the period under review, the total area under cereals is down by 3.21 per cent, at 34.64 lakh hectare as against 35.79 lakh hectare in the corresponding period previous year.

Moreover, the rice area coverage stood at 10.70 lakh hectare ( 11.03 lakh hectare ), jowar 1.80 lakh hectare (2.03 lakh hectare), ragi 6.77 lakh hectare (7.67 lakh hectare), maize 12.37 lakh hectare (11.67 lakh hectare), bajra 2.73 lakh hectare (3.11 lakh hectare) and minor millets 0.27 lakh hectare (0.28 lakh hectare).

In case of pulses, the state has witnessed the severe slowdown in actual coverage by 20.75 per cent at 13.25 lakh hectare as against 16.72 lakh hectare in the comparable period previous year.

Furthermore, the oilseeds coverage is also down by 9.91 per cent at 10.54 lakh hectare as compared to 11.70 lakh hectare it covered previous year.