Coastal Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts are grappling with an erratic and deficient southwest monsoon this year, raising concern among farmers and fishing communities alike. In low-lying areas of Bantwal, Karkala, and Kundapura, paddy transplantation has been delayed due to insufficient rainfall for nursery preparation.
“We usually finish transplanting by mid-June, but this year we’re still waiting for consistent rain. If this continues, we could lose 30 to 40 percent of the crop,” said Ravi Poojary, a farmer from Udupi district. The fisheries sector has been hit just as hard — boat owners in Mangaluru and Malpe report catches of mackerel, sardines, and prawns down by more than half compared to a normal year, attributing it to weaker nutrient upwelling in unusually calm coastal waters.
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