Karnataka - Bellary   

Virus destroys more chilli crop in Bellary district

Withered: Chilli crop drying up following a mysterious virus attack in Bellary taluk.

BELLARY: The plight of chilli growers in Bellary taluk and surrounding places has increased as the mysterious virus has been spreading to more areas. The attack, which was initially noticed on crop spread over 6,000 acres of land last month, has spread further resulting in huge crop loss.

According to chilli growers, rows of standing crop had begun drying up owing to the virus attack. It has been spreading, destroying crop by the day. Chilli is grown in around 18,000 hectares of irrigated tract, of which 13,000 hectares falls in Bellary taluk and the rest in surrounding taluks such as Sirguppa. The district is among a few in the State to grow the crop on a vast area after the undivided Dharwad district.

There are reports of chilli crop damage from Kammarchedu, Shankarbande, Yerrangli, Siddamanhalli and Kolur Badnahatti in Bellary taluk and a few more villages in Sirguppa taluk.

The virus attack had hit at the root of the crop causing massive damage. As against an anticipated yield of around 20 quintals an acre, the average yield now may not exceed

even five quintals an acre, says Raja, a farmer in Vigneshwar camp area in Bellary taluk. He also said that the first picking was yet to begin. The former vice-president of the zilla panchayat K.A. Ramalingappa told The Hindu that a survey of crop loss be held immediately.

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