Unseasonal rains destroy maize crops in Karnataka’s Shivamogga; market rate for harvest dips by over 50%, says farmer

Shivamogga: Unseasonal rains have wreaked havoc in Karnataka by not only disturbing the daily life of the people but also destroying the maize farms, which is one of the major commercial crops of the state. The incessant rain in early harvesting season from September to November has caused severe damage which has made the yield per hectare nose dive and the remaining produce to be sold off at lower rates.

Karnataka: Maize crops in Shivamogga district damaged due to incessant rainfall in the region. Prasanna, a farmer says, "Rains have devastated our lives, more than 50% of the maize crops have been damaged, prices have also dipped". (16.11.19) pic.twitter.com/O9rBLVcVnH

— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2019

“This year rain has really devastated our life, more than 50 per cent of the maize crop has been destroyed, the price also dipped, the clouds developing in the evening are threatening the farmers from harvesting. A few days back maize was being sold at Rs 2,600 per quintal but now it has come down to just Rs 1,200,” Prasanna, a farmer, said to ANI narrating his ordeal on Saturday. Karnataka is the leading producer and exporter of maize in the country. The waterlogging, which happened due to incessant rains and floods, adversely affected the crops and also makes the plants more vulnerable to pest attacks.