The unseasonal rains that lashed the city over the past three days may have brought the residents of Mysore respite from the heat, but it has been a cause of concern for the farming community. Thousands of farmers with the hope of a bumper yield this year in horticulture crops were disappointed. Among the worst hit are mango and watermelon growers, though farmers growing other horticulture crops and vegetables were also adversely affected.
Crop loss due to the rains is likely to shoot up the prices of mango, also called the "King of fruits", and watermelon. The Mysore region witnessed heavy a downpour of 26.3 mm rainfall in three days, throwing normal life out of gear in the low-lying areas and the suburbs. The rains also hit the cultivation of pulses and sunflower, as also of vegetables. Agriculture Research Station Manager, Vasanthkumar, said that the rains would impact adversely the cultivation of pulses and horticulture crops, and also vegetables grown in both irrigated and rainfed areas.