Amid Severe Drought, Agriculture Minister Advises Malavalli Farmers To Cultivate Short-Duration Crops

Addressing a press conference at Halaguru in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district on September 6, 2026, Agriculture Minister and local legislator P.M. Narendra Swamy highlighted the alarming drought conditions and declining groundwater levels in the region. Expressing concern over delayed rainfall that has severely hindered seasonal sowing operations across Malavalli and neighbouring rural pockets, the Minister warned that Karnataka is facing one of its most severe water distress situations in recent decades. He emphasized that agricultural officials in Mandya district have been instructed to work directly with local farming communities to promote short-duration, low-water-requiring crops to mitigate severe yield losses. Swamy also assured that the state government is taking necessary measures to prepare relief packages for distressed agricultural households facing acute water scarcity. For residents and farmers of Malavalli taluk, where agriculture and sericulture drive the rural economy, the Minister's directive underscores the urgent need to shift cropping patterns in response to depleting groundwater reserves and delayed monsoon rains.