Farmers in Karnataka’s spice belt have endured severe crop losses as a prolonged drought takes its toll. A joint survey by the Karnataka State Department of Horticulture, the Revenue Department and the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority last month found that chilli and turmeric farmers suffered the most, with Bagalkot and Chamarajanagar topping the loss lists respectively. Garlic growers in Chamarajanagar and ginger growers in Haveri also reported significant damage.
The survey covered 124 taluks initially flagged for drought assessment, and an additional 53 taluks were later added to the drought‑hit list. Chilli losses reached 12,603 hectares, valued at ₹19,629 lakh. Dharwad recorded the highest impact with 4,611 hectares affected, followed by Bagalkot with 4,093 hectares. Other affected districts included Gadag, Ballari, Haveri, Yadgir and Kalaburagi. Turmeric losses totaled 13,446 hectares, worth ₹18,824 lakh, with Chamarajanagar alone accounting for 13,218 hectares.
Garlic and ginger were not spared. Garlic losses summed 1,800 hectares, valued at ₹18,824 lakh, while ginger losses covered 593 hectares, valued at ₹1,305 lakh. Chamarajanagar again led in garlic loss with 1,775 hectares, and Haveri recorded the ginger loss.
The Horticulture Department noted that the target sown area for chilli was 120,000 hectares, but only about 100,000 hectares were actually planted. Similar disparities exist for turmeric, ginger, coriander and ajwain. A senior official warned that crop losses for spices could increase as more taluks are added to the drought list. Traders in the Byadagi chilli hub, such as Mallesh Hanjigi, have observed that chilli prices have remained at record highs for the past two years, reflecting the scarcity caused by these losses.
