Oct 11: 373 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Oct 11: Karnataka on Monday added 373 fresh COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to 29,81,400 and 37,895, the health department said.
The day also saw 611 people being discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,33,570. Active cases stood at 9,906, a department bulletin said.
Bengaluru Urban accounted for the maximum number of 146 new cases and five deaths.
Mysuru was the second major COVID-19 hotspot with 43 fresh infections and two deaths.
Other districts too reported fresh cases, including 38 each in Dakshina Kannada and Hassan, 17 in Tumakuru, 15 each in Kodagu and Udupi, 12 in Uttara Kannada and 10 in Mandya.
Apart from Bengaluru and Mysuru, two deaths were reported in Uttara Kannada and one in Dharwad.
Bagalkote, Chikkamagaluru, Gadag, Haveri, Vijayapura and Yadgir reported zero infections and zero COVID-19 related deaths.
Twenty-seven districts reported zero fatalities, the bulletin said.
A total of 82,853 samples were tested today, taking the cumulative number of specimens examined to 4.88 crore.
The number of vaccinations done so far in the state rose to 5.93 crore, with 3,25,664 people being inoculated on Monday, it said.
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Banana farmers in Karnataka struggle with crop damage due to extreme cold
Bengaluru: Banana farmers in Karnataka are grappling with crop damage as extreme cold weather this winter threatens their harvests.
Horticulture officials stated that over 25 percent of the banana crop, particularly those at the early growing stages, would be affected as temperature dipped below 12°C, as reported by Deccan Herald on Monday.
Farmers are concerned that the ongoing cold snap could lead to long-term consequences, including a reduction in exports. Wholesale merchants have noted that the severe cold has caused banana fruits to discolour, resulting in lower market quality and a slump in export demand.
Karnataka, the third-largest banana producer in India after Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, yielded 29.73 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24, DH mentioned. The state's banana-growing areas include Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Mysuru, and Hassan, as well as Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar, and other parts of North Karnataka, where irrigation facilities support production.
“I have grown Cavendish bananas on three acres by investing Rs 4.5 lakh. I have lost a part of the crops due to heavy rainfall in August last year. Now, I am finding it difficult to get returns on my investment due to foggy and cold conditions,” Gulappa Mahadevaswamy from Dodda Katuru village in Mysuru taluk, was quoted as saying by DH.
Banana exporter Alisab Choudhari explained that cold temperatures are causing significant market rejection of the fruit, as the bananas are turning reddish and losing its quality. A farmer Shankar Myakeri from Afzalpur taluk said that around 40 percent of the crop on his 10-acre farmland would likely be damaged due to extreme cold.
Santosh Inamdar, Deputy Director of the Kalaburagi Horticulture Department, stated that approximately 4,000 hectares of banana crops in the district were more susceptible to severe cold, especially where the soil lacks zinc and boron. He advised farmers to use these micronutrients to help mitigate the damage and encourage better growth.
In light of the growing concerns, farmers have called on the government to purchase bananas at a support price to ease the financial burden. They have also demanded that a separate board be established to protect the interests of banana growers.
Meanwhile, K.B. Dundi, Additional Director of the Horticulture Department (Fruits), reassured that while damage to banana crops during winter is common, the situation is usually temporary. “It is a matter of two weeks for them to recover once summer starts,” he added.
