Paddy prices offer relief to farmers in drought-hit Yadgir

While a severe rainfall deficit has devastated rain-fed crops across Yadgir district this kharif season, remunerative prices for paddy have brought some relief to farmers in the irrigated areas of the district.

Cotton, a major commercial crop in the district, has suffered extensive damage, forcing several farmers to uproot damaged plants and prepare their fields again.

Even farmers who irrigated their cotton crops using pumpsets managed to harvest only two or three quintals of the crop an acre.

“Revenue from cotton sales is not even enough to recover a quarter of the expenditure on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and weeding,” said Shankarappa, a farmer from Wadagera village.

In contrast, paddy growers who irrigated their fields using water drawn from the Krishna and Bhima rivers and local streams have harvested around 40 bags an acre. Each 77-kg bag is fetching between ₹3,000 and ₹3,100.

Wholesale traders from Gangavati, Sindhanur, Sirguppa and Ballari are visiting farms with trucks to procure the produce directly from farmers.

“Traders deduct 1% if payment is made immediately. If farmers agree to a 15-day credit period, the full amount is paid without any deduction,” said Veerupannagouda Sahukar, a farmer from Abbetumkur village.

Sahukar managed to secure a good harvest from his 45 acres by laying a pipeline from the nearby Bhima river to irrigate his fields despite the prolonged dry spell.

Farmers, however, have incurred an expenditure of around ₹40,000 an acre from sowing to harvesting.

While favourable prices have provided a cushion for paddy growers in the irrigated areas, the failure of rain-fed crops has left a large section of farmers in distress in the district.