Special Report: Good Post-Monsoon showers expected

• Good arecanut yield expected due to post monsoon rains

Mangaluru: Post-monsoon showers have begun in the state. The Metrological Department has forecasted good post-monsoon showers for Karavali similar to the intensity of the monsoon rains.

 Karavali is abounding with arecanut cultivation and a good crop may be expected due to the post-monsoon showers. Karavali witnessed incessant rains during the month end of May. Normally, there is good rain during the months of August and September. This is the time when cultivators add nutrients to the arecanut trees. But this time, there was relatively less rainfall in these months which has become a cause for concern. However, due to the good post-monsoon showers forecasted, a good crop may be expected.

In Karavali, the post-monsoon rain is from October to December. During this time, 334.5 and 317.2 mm of rain is expected in Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts respectively. Last year, the rain in DK had dropped by 27% while it had increased by 8% in Udupi district.

This time the post-monsoon showers are good and 3,552 mm of rain has been recorded in DK which is an increase by 3%. Udupi district received 3,784 mm of rain which is a drop by 7%.

Less rain in 5 taluks

Even though, the post-monsoon showers in DK district were good, the taluks of the district have received less than usual rain. The drop in rain was by -10% and -6% in Bantwal and Mangaluru taluks. Less rainfall was also reported from taluks in Udupi with Karkala at -6%, Kundapur at -5% and Udupi at -8%.

Very less post-monsoon showers in Kodagu

The metrological department has forecasted good post-monsoon showers in Kodagu this time. But last year, Kodagu received the least post-monsoon showers in the entire state. Though 290.8 mm of rain was expected, only 126.3 mm of rain took place.

“According to the forecast, this time’s post-monsoon rain will be good,” said Gavaskar Sanga, State Natural Disaster Response Center Scientist

“Because of this time’s post-monsoon rains in Karavali, cultivation activities will be good. The arecanuts have already ripened and other than finding it slightly difficult to dry them, there should not be a problem with the yield,” said Vigneshwara Varmudi, Economist