Tamil Nadu - Dindigul   

14 soil testing centres to be set up in Dindigul

DINDIGUL: Fourteen soil testing lab-cum-agriculture consultation centres would be set up in all Panchayat unions in the district shortly to assist farmers in testing the soil condition of their land, basic requirement for selecting crop, application of quantum of fertilizers and implementation of irrigation system, according to P. Sankaralingam, Joint Director of Agriculture.

Inspecting the paddy cultivation areas under the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) programme at M.M. Kovilur near here on Saturday, he said that this lab cum consultation centre would be set up at an estimated cost of Rs.6 lakh under the National Agriculture Development Programme. Unemployed graduates in agriculture, horticulture, veterinary science, agriculture engineering and technical experts and scientists, who retired from national-level agriculture research centres or State and Central agricultural universities within four years, would be roped in to set up these centres.

Bank loan and subsidy would be offered to them for establishing such centres in each union, he added. “Top priority will be given to eligible candidates.”

Those interested in setting up these centres in Reddiyarchatram, Sanarpatti, Natham, Vadamadurai and Gujiliamparai blocks may contact the office of the Joint Director of Agriculture and send their application before December 15.

The Joint Director advised farmers who raised Samba and Thaladi paddy crops to insure them immediately. The main objective of insurance scheme was to protect farmers against losses suffered due to crop failure in case of natural calamities such as drought and flood.

With continuous motivation and training, total paddy cultivation area under the System of Rice Intensification programme has touched 2,700 hectares in the district. We have plans to increase the cultivation area to 5,500 hectares before January end with the commencement of the ‘Navarai Pattam,’ Mr. Sankaralingam said.

Conveying that adequate publicity has been given to propagate the SRI programme in the district, he advised officials to intensify the campaign to rope in more farmers.

The SRI programme was introduced among farmers to increase the yield, scale down production costs, apply adequate fertilizers and use minimum water for irrigation. Getting more yield in less area was the concept of the programme, he added.

Assistant Director (Farmer’s Training) M.S.N. Selvaraj and Agriculture Officer L. Mayakrishnan accompanied him.

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14 soil testing centres to be set up in Dindigul

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