The south-west monsoon, crucial for agricultural operations, will reach Karnataka in June's first week and become active from second week, a senior academician said Monday.
"Monsoon will set in Karnataka during June first week and remain active from second week. It is expected to be normal this year as per data available with the local meteorology department," M.B. Raje Gowda, professor of agro-climate at Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK), told reporters here.
Picking up momentum in July, the monsoon season will extend till September resulting in widespread rainfall across the state over the next three-four months.
"The state is expected to receive an average rainfall of 85 cm or 34 inches during the monsoon, which is good for sowing operations. Farmers dependent on monsoon rains, should opt for long duration crops such as sunflower, groundnut, ragi, maize and red gram," Gowda said.
As part of the state-run University of Agricultural Sciences, the GKVK provides timely information to farmers and other stakeholders on farming and allied activities to boost food production and prevent crop losses in the event of drought or floods.
"Sugarcane growers should take up sowing in July and those farmers wanting to grow short-duration crops can take up sowing in August when moisture content in the soil will be higher due to increase in water table as a result of good rainfall," Gowda noted.
Ahead of the monsoon season, the state agriculture department has set a target of 7.5 million hectares of farm land for cultivation this fiscal (2012-13), including 300,000 hectares of land where sowing has been completed in coastal and south interior regions.
"The department has distributed 623,000 kg of seeds to 42,000 farmers at 50 percent subsidy and 188,000 tonnes of fertiliser across the state till May 15. Remaining quantity of seeds (207,000 kg) will be distributed over the next two-three months," Gowda noted.
The department has a buffer stock of about 700,000 tonnes of fertiliser for distribution during the monsoon season and has applied to the central government for an additional supply of 1.6 million tonnes of fertiliser for the entire season.
