June good, but July rain deficient in DK

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 8, 2015 :  The figures indicate that Dakshina Kannada received good rainfall last month and during the first half of this year.  Only scanty rainfall is seen during the last week and the trend  will badly effect paddy cultivation, according to the Agriculture Department.

H. Kempe Gowda, Joint Director, Department of Agriculture, Dakshina Kannada, the district has received only 4.6 per cent of the normal rainfall for July during the last week.   He said that farmers take up for intensive paddy plantation during July. About 70 per cent of plantation (up to 20,000 hectares) would have to be done this month.   If it did not rain in the remaining three weeks, paddy cultivation would be hit.

He said that paddy was sown in 4,800 hectares last month against 4,000 hectares during the corresponding month of 2014.  He said that if it started raining after a week, one-month-old paddy saplings in nurseries could be planted by adopting the “clipping method”.   It meant top of the saplings should be cut and then planted closely for yield.

If it did not rain for another two or three weeks and if it started raining in August, the other option left was to opt for fresh saplings (nursery).   It would take at least 20 days to raise the saplings.

He said that statistics show that the district recorded 79 per cent of the normal rainfall for June during the last month. In the first six months of this year, the district recorded 90.3 per cent of the normal rainfall for the first half.    Kempe Gowda said that for a district such as Dakshina Kannada, it should rain heavily during June and July for paddy cultivation. Rainfall recorded during July would be vital.