Karnataka’s rice bowl shows no signs of filling up
Deficit rain recorded in June and July because of El-Nino, impact of the West Asia war and some local factors in the rice growing areas have all pushed the price of various rice varieties, writes Rashmi Patil
Karnataka's rice-producing regions are grappling with a supply shortage and soaring prices, despite recent rain. Housewives like Kavya S. in Bengaluru have noticed a significant increase in rice costs, with a 26-kg bag of Sona Masoori rice rising from ₹1,560 to ₹1,950 in a single month. Farmers in Raichur and Koppal, key rice-growing areas, are particularly dismayed.
They cite delayed and insufficient monsoon rains, compounded by technical issues in water release from the Tungabhadra Left Bank Main Canal, as the main culprits behind the poor harvest. Only 2.02 lakh hectares of paddy has been sown so far, far below the target of 10 lakh hectares, leaving the production target in peril. Rainfall in the region during June-August was 28% less than normal, with most affected areas receiving only 357 mm of rain.
This rainfall deficit, combined with a prolonged lack of nursey beds due to reservoir water restrictions, has severely impacted transplantation efforts. Agricultural experts advise farmers to switch to water-efficient crops like jowar. In Bengaluru, rice traders attribute the price hike to low remaining stocks of paddy and anticipation of further demand, prompting many to stock up. As the season progresses, the outlook for Karnataka's rice production remains grim.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
