• General Scenario and Current Trend : Total cultivable are in the state is 123.85 lakh ha which is 65% of total geographical area. In last few years no expansion in the cultivable area has taken place in the state. Total number of operational holdings is 70.79 lakh and 1.74 ha is the average size of operational holdings. Small and marginal farmers account for 75% of the total holding but cultivate only 36% of total cultivable area. The number of holdings is increasing substantially and in last five years approx 9 lakh holdings have been added. There is an increase in fallow land and absentee landlordism.

    The state receives normal annual rainfall of 1139 mm mainly through South-west monsoon and north-east monsoon. Only 30% area is irrigated in the state which has 10 Agro-climatic zones with rich crop diversity.

    The state has adequate quantity of seed for all major crops as per SRR and VRR requirements. Agriculture credit is made available to the farmers @ 3% interest. In the last three years about 1.5 lakh agriculture equipment, implements and machinery have been provided to the farmers.

    37% of the area has Red soil, 28% Black soil and that of Alluvio-colluvial soil is 16%. About 1.97 lakh ha of soil is under alkalinity and 77000 ha under salinity. Productivity of rice is about 2600 kg/ha, Jowar 1203 kg/ ha, Ragi 1736 kg/ha, Maize 2959 kg/ha, Bajra 735 kg/ha, wheat kg/ha, oilseeds 566 kg/ha, cotton 380 kg/ ha, sugarcane 89 ton/ha and tobacco 490 kg/ha.




Area under horticulture is expanding. Productivity of fruit crop is 16.73 ton/ha, vegetable crop 17.23 ton/ha, spice crop 2.52 ton/ha, commercial flowers 7.85 ton/ha, medicinal plat 3 ton/ha and aromatic plants 10 ton/ ha. Horticulture produces export in the State is approx Rs.2750 cr every year. Cropping intensity is 116%. 6.5% of banana, 3.3% of citrus fruits, 12.5% of grapes, 8.4% of guava, 9.7% of mango, 9.3% of papaya, 12% of pineapple, 17.5% of pomegranate, 21.8% of sapota, 3.7% of brinjal, 2.5% of cabbage, 9.6% of onion production of the country comes from the state. . Agriculture & allied sector contribution to the GSDP of the state is approx 20%.

  • Strength: 10 agro-climatic zone with rich crop diversity, good average rainfall and 30% irrigated area, ?Panchsutra? policy in agriculture sector is followed, good seed production infrastructure, adequate SRR and VRR, adequate pesticide testing labs, fertilizer control labs, seed testing labs, 15% of the total cultivable area 34 under horticulture contributes 40% of the total income from combined agriculture sector. Few initiatives like protective irrigation to potato and tomato in Hasan district, fish rearing in Mysore, protective irrigation to green chilly, paddy and ginger in Chikkamanglur district, protective irrigation to vegetables in Gulbarga district are boosting farmers income.

  • Limitation:75% small and marginal farmers holdings, cultivable area is stagnant, 70% of the area is rain fed, yield gap exists in most of the crops, huge area facing alkalinity and salinity problems, 2.2% growth in agriculture sector during 10th Plan, limitation seed certification capacity.

  • Public Investment : A satisfactory Public Investment has been made through the State Plan resources as well as through Centrally Sponsored Schemes in Karnataka. During 2005-06, out of Rs.12, 678.30 cr State Plan, Agriculture and allied sector received Rs.539.90 cr (4.26%). In 2006-07 agriculture sectors received Rs.863.44 cr (4.72%) out of Rs.18308.86 cr State Plan. In 2007-08 out of Rs.17226.91 cr State Plan agriculture sector share was Rs.1415.05 cr (8.21%). In 2008-09 out of Rs.26, 088.82 cr State Plan Rs.2193 cr (8.41%) was allocated to agriculture and allied sector.

    Government of India provided Rs.154.30 cr under RKVY, Rs.85.71 cr under NHM, Rs.25.00 cr. under ISOPOM, Rs.73.46 cr under MMA, Rs.3.39 cr. for ATMA, Rs.21.41 cr. under NFSM, Rs.3.89 cr under Cotton Mission Rs.125.36 cr under NHM during 2007-08.

    The State Government received Rs.314.14 cr under RKVY, Rs.27.00 cr under ISOPOM, Rs.48.85 under MMA, Rs.4.52 cr under ATMA, Rs.30.15 cr. under NFSM and Rs.4.12 cr under Cotton Mission during 2008-09.

    Thus, in the last two years of the 11th Plan Period, Agriculture Sector investment from GOI was approx Rs.925 cr and Govt of Karnataka was approx Rs.3608 cr.











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