A total of 12,134 hectares of land had been covered under kuruvai so far and another 14,000 hectares of land will be brought under the crop in the current season in Tiruvarur district, said R. Kamaraj, Minister for Food.
Speaking after distributing agricultural implements under the special kuruvai package for farmers at Valangaiman near here, Mr. Kamaraj said both conventional and System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods of paddy cultivation were being adopted. While 4,820 hectares of land were covered under the conventional method, 7,314 hectares were covered under SRI method.
The special package complete with fertilisers, bio-fertilisers, pesticides, and borewell pipes has imbued confidence in farmers, he said.
Under the package, farmers would get free implements worth Rs. 4.32 crore before the end of the month.
The inputs under the scheme included 1,589 tonnes of gypsum worth Rs. 55.60 lakh, micronutrients worth Rs. 29.12 lakh. Pesticides worth Rs. 48.14 lakh would be given as part of the package. The Agriculture Department would focus on popularising SRI technique among farmers and demonstration sessions would be held in select villages under the National Agriculture Development Programme and National Food Security Mission to benefit 14,152 paddy cultivators. M. Ganesan,
Additional Director of Seeds, and P. Manimaran, District Revenue Officer, spoke.
The Minister distributed free inputs worth Rs.2.70 lakh to 95 farmers.
