The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Paddy farmers reap rich harvest

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Wednesday, Dec 10, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Paddy farmers reap rich harvest

S. Harpal Singh

- PHOTO: G. SANJEEV REDDY

Bumper crop: A farm worker busy harvesting paddy near Dandepalli in Adilabad district.

ADILABAD: The success of paddy crop in Adilabad district this season has become an enthusing factor for the farming community after the unexpected failure of cotton.

Agriculture department officials attribute the success of paddy, both in terms of productivity and production, to proper implementation of the National Food Security Mission (NFSM).

The filling up of irrigation tanks and good recharge of ground water in the rainy season made it possible for bringing over double the last year’s extent of area under paddy cultivation. Against 30,000 hectares last year, about 63,000 hectares of paddy was sown mostly under irrigated conditions in mandals that are located along the Godavari.

Good MSP

“The yield of paddy too was more than satisfactory as farmers harvested 35 to 40 quintals per hectare as against the NFSM target of 33 quintals per hectare. The production, put at nearly 2.15 lakh tonnes, was evidently not affected by the dry spells in June and October,” points out G. Narsingu, Agriculture Officer at Adilabad. “Paddy farmers are also happy this year because of the healthy minimum support price (MSP). The common variety of paddy is fetching Rs. 900 per quintal while the fine variety gets Rs. 950,” he adds.

Besides organising demonstrations for farmers, the Agriculture department had supplied micro nutrients like zinc sulphate and bio pesticides and plant protection chemicals at a subsidised rate under the provisions of NFSM. Even green manure seeds had been supplied to paddy farmers.

Increased cultivation of pulses as envisaged by the NFSM and a success story for red gram and black gram was also recorded this year.

At present, sowing of Bengal gram in underway and in a few days’ time transplantation of paddy for the rabi season will commence.

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