Drought scorches Karnataka’s spice belt; chilli, turmeric worst hit

Karnataka's spice belt is experiencing severe drought, causing significant crop losses, particularly in turmeric and chilli. According to a joint survey by the Karnataka State Department of Horticulture, Revenue Department, and Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, farmers cultivating chilli and turmeric have faced major setbacks due to the drought.

Bagalkot and Chamarajanagar districts have been hit the hardest, with Bagalkot topping the list for chilli losses and Chamarajanagar leading in turmeric losses. The survey covered 124 taluks, with another 53 added to the drought-hit list. The target area for chilli was 1,20,000.03 hectares, while the sown area was 99,986.57 hectares. Chilli, particularly the red or Byadagi variety, is grown in various districts, including Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Ballari, Bagalkot, Yadgir, and Raichur.

The chilli crop loss was recorded at 12,603 hectares, valued at ₹19,629 lakh, with the highest loss in Dharwad at 4,611 hectares out of a total sown area of 12,291.96 hectares. Bagalkot reported 4,093 hectares of chilli crop loss from its 6,334.39 hectares of cultivated land. Bagalkot also leads in turmeric losses, with 13,218 hectares affected, while Chamarajanagar reported 13,218 hectares of turmeric crop loss, followed by Bagalkot with 205 hectares and Vijayapura with 23 hectares.

Garlic growers in Chamarajanagar and Haveri districts have also suffered crop losses, with 1,800 hectares of garlic lost in Chamarajanagar and 593 hectares recorded in Haveri. Chamarajanagar alone accounted for 1,775 hectares of chilli loss out of a total sown area of 1,801 hectares.