Farmers turn to rental tankers to save arecanut plantations

Davanagere: Farmers in Davanagere are facing a challenging situation as the rising temperatures lead to a significant drop in water levels in borewells, resulting in a shortage of water for their areca nut plantations. To protect their crops, farmers are now resorting to hiring water tankers.

With the water scarcity becoming acute, areca nut growers are compelled to pay higher prices to rent tankers to transport water to their farms. Particularly in the Channagiri and Mayakonda regions of the district, many farms are receiving tanker water to sustain their areca nut crops. In various villages such as Chikkagangur, Koratikere, Hiregangur, Shettihalli Lakshmisagar, Yaragattihalli, Madapur, Aklakatte, Hodigere, V. Ramayanahalli, and Kanchiganal, the groundwater levels are diminishing rapidly. Farmers are left with no choice but to purchase water from other farmers who have access and fill their agricultural pits using the rented tankers. Some are also using drip irrigation to efficiently water their plants. Farmers are paying between ₹3,000 toRs4,000 for a single tanker of water. Those in the Ramanagara and Mayakonda areas are spendingRs500 toRs600 to use their tankers for irrigation purposes.

Speaking to this reporter farmer Anjinappa Poojar lamented, “We have a few acres of land, and small farmers like us are severely affected. The big farmers are not experiencing this hardship. Due to the increasing heat, we are forced to bring in tanker water to sustain our crops. We rent tankers, payingRs500 toRs600 to bring in water. We purchase water from farmers who have it to fill our tankers. The expenses are significant for many, and it becomes a burden for those who have recently planted areca nut trees. We are taking loans to manage this situation.”

Raghavendra Prasad, Assistant Director of the Horticulture Department, shared insights on how to effectively water areca nut plants during the summer. He stated, “Davanagere is a key area for areca nut cultivation. When hot winds blow in the summer, it’s common for the soil to dry out. Using micro-nutrient sprays can help reduce soil degradation. It is important to avoid over-watering, as this can lead to heat accumulation in the soil, exacerbating the problem. Additionally, both red and white rice pests are prevalent in the plantations, which need to be treated with appropriate medicines.” The district boasts an approximate area of one lakh hectares dedicated to areca nut farms. Out of this, about 45,000 hectares are under productive cultivation. The demand for water rises significantly during the summer. Farmers are utilizing rented tankers for irrigation. Implementing mulching in their fields can be beneficial, and using drip irrigation methods ensures that only the necessary amount of water reaches the plants. However, farmers find it challenging to control water distribution effectively when using micro-tubing.