Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Scheme to double paddy production in two years

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Agriculture Department has readied the framework for an ambitious programme to double paddy production in the State within two years.

‘Ellavarum padathekku’ (‘let us all enter the paddy fields’) is the slogan of this Rs.100-crore programme, being launched in September, the government said in a press release on Wednesday.

The programme was drawn up by a core committee of top farm officials and farm scientists under the supervision of the Agriculture Production Commissioner.

Resources from multifarious schemes of the State and Central governments will be pooled and handsome incentives and support services will be given to the farmers. The paddy grown will then be procured at the highest procurement price prevailing in the country.

The ‘group farming’ of yesteryear will be revived, giving those who do farming operations in groups a subsidy of Rs.1,500 a hectare. They will get implements, technical assistance, loan, harvesters, power and crop insurance coverage from the government.

Two more big modern rice mills, in addition to the existing one at Alathur, will start functioning immediately, the press release said, quoting Agriculture Minister Mullakara Ratnakaran.

Farmers in major rice belts will get interest-free loans from cooperative societies, with the government footing the interest bill.

The government will spend Rs.5.5 crore for this during the current year. Crop insurance premium has been reduced and compensation in the event of calamity enhanced from Rs.5,000 to Rs.12,500 a hectare.

Those re-launching the crop in fields left fallow will receive Rs.5,000 a hectare as incentive.

Thousand hectares of fallow land in Pathanamthitta district have already been brought under the tiller this season. The drive is being taken to other districts, the press release said.

The programme also targets spreading mechanisation to the fields. The government will make available to the farmers sufficient machines for their needs. And the rice belts will have stations providing agro engineering services.

Soil testing and such agro clinical services for input advice to boost the yield will be strengthened under the programme. Farmers will receive ‘soil health cards’ in phases across the State.

The programme targets expanding the crop area by 3 lakh hectares to take the State’s annual paddy production to the level of 12 lakh tonnes.

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