Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Plan to increase samba yield intensified

TIRUCHI: The Agriculture Department has intensified implementation of the Centrally-sponsored ‘System Rice Intensification’ (SRI) programme for registering a higher yield during the coming ‘samba’ season in the district.

Officials anticipate about 57,500 hectares to be covered under the current ‘samba’ season this year including 35,000 hectares in the Cauvery delta and the balance 22,500 in the non-Cauvery region.

The SRI programme, forming a part of the Integrated Cereal Development Programme, aims at increasing the samba yield by 50 per cent more than the conventional practices. It will be implemented in 24,000 hectares in 115 villages, Joint Director of Agriculture M. Kuppusamy said here on Monday.

The advantages of the programme, among other things, include economy in irrigational waters up to 30 per cent of the traditional practices; low seed rate of 2 kg an acre; better soil aeration; less use of nitrogen; a larger number of grains; use of weed plants as a bio-mass; use of conoweeder for inducing a larger number of tillers. “The equipment ‘Marker’ will help the farmers to plant a single seedling with adequate spacing,” Mr. Kuppusamy said.

A total of 70 cluster demonstrations will be set up during the samba season. Each will cover 10 hectares. A subsidy of Rs.2,000 will be sanctioned for a hectare for raising nursery, planting and the purchase of Marker and Conoweeder. A maximum of 7,500 hectares will be covered under the SRI programme in the Lalgudi division.

The cluster demonstration programme was inaugurated at Kodunthurai near Gunaseelam in the district on Monday. Agriculture officials explained the advantages of ‘Marker’ in avoiding wastage of seedlings.

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