In Jevargi, Karnataka, farmer organisations have called for an immediate survey of horsegram cultivation and prompt registration of the crop in government records to ensure farmers receive entitled benefits.
Karnataka horsegram survey: farmers press for urgent action
Rajshekhar Chavadi, district director of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Raitha Sene for the Kalyana Karnataka division, led a delegation that submitted a memorandum to the assistant director of agriculture in Jevargi. He told officials that widespread damage to Kharif season crops caused by excessive monsoon rainfall had left many growers in financial difficulty, forcing them to plant horsegram as an alternate crop this season.
Chavadi said the shift to horsegram is a direct response to crop losses and stressed that a timely official survey is essential to formally recognise the sowing and secure access to government schemes and compensation. “Farmers whose Kharif crops were destroyed have sown horsegram on their land. Authorities must survey these fields and register the crop in the payment records without delay,” he said.
He accused local officials of adopting a dilatory approach to the necessary surveys, a delay that risks depriving farmers of government support. The plea emphasised the administrative urgency: completing the Karnataka horsegram survey and updating payment registers is needed so farmers can claim relief and benefit from government programmes aimed at mitigating monsoon losses.
Representatives who joined Chavadi included Santoshgouda Mali Patil, district working president of the Raitha Sene; district vice-president Ramesh Havaldar; director Vishwanath Dore; and Jevargi taluk treasurer Mallannagouda Halli, along with several other local farmer leaders. They requested that district and taluk officials issue clear instructions to field teams to finish surveys promptly.
Local farming communities face compounding pressures after severe rain damaged standing Kharif crops. Farmers report that many fields could not be salvaged and that planting a short-duration, hardy pulse such as horsegram offered a way to recover some yields and preserve livelihoods. However, without official recognition through survey and registration, those efforts may not translate into access to compensation, subsidised inputs, or other relief measures.
Chavadi and other leaders urged the agriculture department to mobilise staff immediately and prioritise field inspections. They further requested clear timelines and communication so farmers know when their crops will be surveyed and when they can expect registration in official payment and support systems.
The farmer groups called on district authorities to ensure that survey teams submit reports quickly and that any procedural hurdles are removed. They warned that continued delays will intensify hardship for smallholders who have already endured the loss of principal Kharif crops.
Officials from the agriculture department have not yet issued a public response to the memorandum. Local leaders said they will continue pressing authorities until surveys are completed and the Karnataka horsegram survey and registration process is concluded to the satisfaction of affected farmers.
Key Takeaways:
- Farmer leaders in Jevargi, Karnataka, have urged officials to conduct a Karnataka horsegram survey and register the crop in official records without delay.
- Excess monsoon rains destroyed Kharif crops, prompting farmers to sow horsegram as an alternative and seek government assistance.
- Local agricultural officials have been petitioned to complete surveys so farmers can access state support and benefits.
