GULBARGA: Sowing operations are in full swing in Gulbarga district. As per the latest details available, the district has recorded an all-time highest sowing of 15,833 hectares till the end of May. This was mainly due to the early onset of monsoon and record rainfall received till the end of May.

Sources in the Agriculture Department told The Hindu here on Tuesday that sowing was on at a brisk base owing to the conducive climatic conditions in the district in June also.

Of the 15,833 hectares where sowing is over, 12,748 hectares is under pulses, which is the mainstay of the Gulbarga district, 1,930 hectares is under cereals and 1,155 hectares under oilseeds.

Sources said if this pace of sowing continued in June, the area under green gram and black gram, the two cash crops which is harvested in 60 to 70 days, was likely to see a record jump this year.

Last year, the area under green gram had fallen to 65,000 hectares from the normal 80,000 to 90,000 hectares every year owing to late onset of monsoon and dry spell in the middle of the season. The area under the black gram was around 30,000 hectares. Sources said that already farmers had completed sowing of green gram in 6,724 hectares and 4,024 hectares of black gram by the end of May. Red gram was sown in 2,600 hectares and bajra has been sown in 1,150 hectares. Sowing in all the taluks except Afsalpur and Jewargi was in full swing. Shahapur completed sowing in 4,890 hectares, followed by Chincholi (3600 hectares), Aland (3250 hectares), Chitapur (1800 hectares), and Surpur (1123 hectares).

Gulbarga district experienced an average rainfall of 115.5 mm in May as against the normal rainfall of 69.27 mm. All the taluks except Afsalpur recorded more than the normal rainfall with Chitapur recording highest rainfall of 211.8 mm as against the normal rainfall of 72.2 mm during May.

Sources said that the district now required good rain to save the sown crops. Dry winds take away the moisture content in the soil and that was the cause for worry for farmers now. On the shortage of seeds, particularly green gram and black gram, the sources said that fresh stocks had started arriving to meet the growing demand.

Shortage of seeds

The acute shortage was mainly due to heavy demand this year from the farmers due to the early onset of monsoon. Last year, authorities had to return the seeds stocked for distribution since there was no demand.

Sources pointed out that the district Agriculture Department could not be blamed for the shortage since on May 4 itself, the department had requested the Government to release 3,180 quintals of green gram and 1,085 quintals of black gram for distribution to small and marginal farmers.

Initially only 475 quintals of green gram and 270 quintals of black gram were received leading to shortage. However, the government taking into considering the heavy demand from farmers, has rushed fresh stocks to meet the demand now.

As on date, the district authorities have distributed 723.2 quintals of green gram and 325 quintal of black gram to the small and marginal farmers. There was no shortage of seeds of other pulses, cereals and oilseeds included under the programme to distribute them at a subsidised rate to the small and marginal farmers.

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