Yadgir, Karnataka – Farmers in Yadgir district, who have been grappling with a significant rainfall deficit this monsoon season, have found renewed hope thanks to recent scattered showers. The district, which had recorded a 24% rain deficit between June 1 and July 24, has seen a couple of days of scattered rainfall, offering a lifeline to standing crops that were beginning to wither due to a lack of moisture. As of Friday, the district has recorded 2,41,682 hectares of sowing against a targeted area of 4,01,869 hectares for the Kharif season.
The rainfall deficit had taken a toll on key crops, including cotton, redgram, and greengram. Cotton, the second-largest crop in the district after paddy, was particularly affected, with farmers dependent on canal water from the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Limited (KBJNL). However, the district administration had restricted water from the Basavasagar Reservoir to human and animal drinking purposes only due to the drought condition, leaving farmers with limited irrigation options. The recent scattered rains have provided much-needed relief, reviving crops that had begun to wilt after the first round of weed-removing activities.
Farmer Vijay Gulgi expressed relief, stating that the rainfall is expected to help the standing crops. Chandrashekhar Gouda Bilwar, a cotton farmer, echoed this sentiment, noting that the rains have restored his confidence in getting a good yield rather than facing an expected crop loss. According to agriculture data, redgram was sown on 48,697 hectares (60.14% of the target), greengram on 9,153 hectares, and cotton on 1,79,410 hectares against a target of 2,02,452 hectares. While the deficit remains, the scattered showers have offered a glimmer of hope for farmers in the region, who are now optimistic about their prospects for the season.
