Karnataka rice prices are nearing Rs 100 a kg as farmers and rice mill owners in Kalyana Karnataka seek 2 tmcft of additional Tungabhadra water to protect the standing kharif paddy crop. Farmer leaders have asked the state government to extend irrigation supplies from November 20 to at least the first week or middle of December, warning that 80% of the crop in the affected command area could perish without the release.
The demand comes ahead of a meeting with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Farmers told the Times of India that more than six lakh cultivators have invested about Rs 40,000 per acre in paddy, placing an estimated Rs 2,500 crore at stake. Hanumanagouda Dalagurki, former chairperson of the Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission, said farmers were seeking 2 tmcft of the proposed 4 tmcft release to Andhra Pradesh.
Kalyana Karnataka produces between 70 lakh and 75 lakh metric tonnes of rice annually through irrigation from the Krishna and Tungabhadra systems. Around 60% of this output comes from the Tungabhadra command area, which covers Raichur, Koppal, Vijayanagara and Ballari districts. The report said there has been no comparable loss in areas irrigated by the Krishna because of excess water from the Alamatti reservoir.
The water shortage has already reduced paddy cultivation in the Tungabhadra area by 50%, according to the report. The irrigation consultative committee for the Tungabhadra project and the Vijayanagara canals decided in the first week of October to provide irrigation water only until November 20, citing limited storage in the Tungabhadra reservoir.
The reservoir had total storage of 53 tmcft. Karnataka’s share was 25.25 tmcft, while Andhra Pradesh had 18.5 tmcft and Telangana 1.5 tmcft. A further 2 tmcft was earmarked as dead storage. The competing demands for irrigation and inter-state allocations have therefore become central to whether the remaining paddy crop reaches the market.
Savitri Purushottam, president of the Karnataka State Rice Mills Association, said extending water supply until the first week of December would allow the paddy to reach markets and help stabilise prices. The report said rice prices were threatening to cross Rs 100 a kg for the first time in drought-hit Karnataka.
The disruption also affects the processing economy around Sindhanur in Raichur district. A rice mill owner cited in the report said each mill employs 60 to 75 people directly and supports another 150 to 200 people indirectly. Shortages have affected exports to West Asian countries, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United States and Europe, while strong domestic demand has contributed to a significant decline in large-scale exports.
The immediate decision rests with the state government and the authorities managing the Tungabhadra irrigation system. Farmers have sought water support through at least December 10, while the existing irrigation decision provides supplies only until November 20. The proposed meeting with the chief minister is expected to determine whether the additional release will be considered.
