The officials of the Agriculture and Revenue departments have commenced a joint survey to assess the crop loss owing to scanty rain in the district this year.
According to preliminary estimate, standing crops on 8,820 hectares of land has been severely damaged owing to scanty rain, Joint Director of the Agriculture Department K. Madhusudan told The Hindu. This includes 5,489 hectares of maize crop and paddy cultivated on 3,331 hectares.
The Agriculture Department had set a target to undertake sowing on 1,73,450 hectares of land in the district this year, including cultivation of paddy on 1.06 lakh hectares and maize on 60,000 hectares.
Owing to sluggish monsoon, paddy has been cultivated on 91,659 hectares of land this time.
Mr. Madhusudan said that the moisture stress owing to scanty rain has affected the formation of flag leaf in paddy crop that plays an important role in grain filling. The yield will decline drastically owing to lack of proper development of flag leaf.
The problem is acute in Jade and Anavatti hoblis in Sorab taluk and in Talagunda, Udugani and Hosur hoblis in Shikaripur taluk where paddy is cultivated under the rain-fed method. The growth of paddy crop, however, is normal in the command areas of Bhadra, Tunga, Anjanapura and Ambligolla reservoirs, he said.
The moisture stress has slowed down the grain filling process in maize plants also. He said that Harnahalli and Kumsi hoblis in Shivamogga taluk have been identified as the worst affected areas.
Mr. Madhusudan said that the officials will visit the affected fields, collected information from the farmers and the samples of the damaged crop.
After the completion of the assessment, a report will be submitted to the State government, he said.
Paddy has been cultivated on 91,659 hectares as against the target of 1.06 ha in the district
