Mysuru: Absence of pre-monsoon rain has exacerbated water scarcity in Mysuru district this year, significantly impacting the agricultural sector.Between Jan and April, the district received a mere 21mm rainfall, against the average of 85mm. This deficit translates to a staggering 75% shortfall in rainfall, posing serious challenges for farmers and further worsening the already precarious water situation.According to taluk-wise rainfall details, HD Kote taluk has received 26.2mm rain against 102.4mm rain during the corresponding period in 2023, Hunsur taluk has received 29.2mm against 86.5mm, KR Nagar has received 16.8mm against 78.4mm, Mysuru taluk 12.1mm against 89.2mm, Nanjangud taluk has 13.7mm against 84.5mm, Periyapatna taluk has received 25.1mm against 93.5mm, T Narasipur taluk received 5.7mm against 69.8mm, Saragur received 33.1mm against 91.6mm rain and Saligrama taluk received 30.6mm against 72.2mm rain.As several taluks did not receive rain during the month of April which is crucial for sowing of pre-kharif crops, agriculture activities were delayed.During pre-kharif season, farmers of the district had been sowing cotton, tobacco like commercial crops in HD Kote, Saragur, Periyapatna, Hunsur, KR Nagar, few pockets of Saligrama taluks, pulses and oil seeds in other taluks of the district.Last year in April, farmers had taken up pre-kharif crops in around 58,000 hectares against the total target of 3.7 lakh hectares in the district, but this year, agriculture activities have not yet begun across the district due to delay of pre-monsoon rains, said sources in agriculture department.As water is also not released for summer crops owing to plummeting water levels in reservoirs like Kabini, KRS, paddy cultivation also took a beating in the district this year. A large number of farmers were also growing vegetables, fruits crops utilizing pumpset water across the district which has nearly 23,000 borewells, but this year, the decline in groundwater level due to lack of rains has also impacted its yield, including mango, banana resulting in price hike of vegetables and fruits, deputy director of horticulture Manjunath told TOI.Many irrigation pumpset borewells dried up due to depletion in groundwater level in Mysuru district. Speaking to TOI, joint director of agriculture S Chandrashekhar said his department has targeted to cover pre-kharif season crops in around 58,000 hectares during April, but the agricultural activities were delayed due to failure of pre-monsoon rains, which will have impact on cotton, tobacco, pulses and oil seeds cultivation in the district. His department has stored enough seeds and fertilisers for distribution, but the farmers are not coming forward to buy seeds due to delayed rains.