Farmers in Karnataka's Raichur and Koppal districts face a grim outlook as the Tungabhadra dam reservoir dwindles,putting this year's paddy crop at risk . Southwest monsoon hasn't delivered enough rain, leaving reservoir at just 9.2 tmcft, way below its 105.788 tmcft capacity as of Sunday. It's the third year in a row of agricultural distress here, and farmers now face losing even their first kharif crop.
The Tungabhadra dam is crucial for irrigating about 12.1 lakh acres across Karnataka,Andhra Pradesh,and Telangana,with nearly 8.7 lakh acres in Karnataka alone. Tungabhadra Left Bank Main Canal irrigates over six lakh acres in these districts,though farmers say another two lakh acres get water from unauthorized channels. This area is known for growing Sona Masuri rice, a premium variety staple here .
Normally,farmers would be setting up nursery beds and prepping fields for paddy by early July. But this year,uncertainty hangs thick. Government of Karnataka said limited water will go to drinking needs until monsoon improves. This has left many farmers worried sick about their future.
Recent rains in Western Ghats,main catchment for Tungabhadra,have given a glimmer of hope. Water from the Tunga reservoir, now full, could improve inflows into Tungabhadra if monsoon picks up soon . Chamarasa Malipatil,of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha,said if reservoir gets around 50 tmcft in next 20 days,farmers might start transplantation . But only a few with borewells or other sources have dared to prepare nursery beds, hoping for monsoon revival.
The fallout of a failed paddy season goes beyond fields. Nearly 200 rice mills in Raichur and Koppal depend on paddy from Tungabhadra command area. Raichur alone has about 120 mills, employing over 3,000 workers,including over 2,000 migrants from Bihar and Jharkhand. During peak milling,these mills run non-stop,sending about 250 truckloads of Sona Masuri rice daily to markets in India and exports to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,Africa,and Gulf.
But past two years saw a big drop in paddy production, slowing operations . Many mills now rely on paddy from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana borders,but stocks may last only two to three weeks. Maram Tippanna,of Raichur Rice Millers’ Association,worried about potential shutdowns. Sending migrants home could mean permanently losing them when work resumes. So mill owners keep paying minimum wages and providing food and shelter,even during downtime.
Situation is on edge as farmers and millers wait for monsoon's return. The fate of Sona Masuri rice economy hangs in balance, with thousands' livelihoods at stake…
