67 percent sowing done in Khariff season: Katti

BANGALORE: With the onset of the South-West monsoons, sowing operations in about 49.65 lakh hectares (67 per cent) is completed as against the 74.65 lakh hectares in khariff season, Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti informed on Thursday.The minister said that the shortfall in sowing was due to less rainfall in some districts, including Bangalore rural, Chikballapur, Mandya and Kolar districts, where farming activities are gaining speed after good rains.Stating that there is no any shortage of seeds and fertilisers, Katti added that against the demand of 8.15 lakh quintals, over 8.92 quintals of seeds has been stocked by the department.Already 4.36 quintals of seeds have been distributed to the 14.59 lakh beneficiaries, he said. “The state has sufficient stock of fertilisers to meet the demands, though the Union government has failed to supply sufficient DAP and MOP following the steep hike in the global market,” he stated.He said that the state has received 507 mm of rainfall so far as against the normal 515 mm till August 9.