Tiruvarur district collector M. Chandrasekaran said on Thursday that plans are on to take up samba paddy cultivation on 1,35,000 hectares this year in the district.
Speaking at the farmers’ grievances day meeting, Mr. Chandrasekaran appealed to the famers to prepare for samba cultivation as water has been released from Mettur dam on Wednesday. Adequate stocks of samba seeds are available with the agriculture department and private agencies. There is a stock of 1,018 tonnes of samba paddy seeds with agriculture department and another 1240 tonnes with private agencies, the collector said.
There is a stock of 5140 tonnes of Urea, 3485 tonnes of Di Ammonium Phosphate, 1860 tonnes of Potash and 405 tonnes of complex. These can be used initially. The requirement is 26,400 tonnes of Urea, 13,800 tonnes of Di Ammonium Phosphate, 10,700 tonnes of Potash and 6620 tonnes of complex fertilisers. Steps had been taken to get the stock.
Summer paddy crop was raised on 7,547 hectares in the district this year and it has been harvested, the collector said. The plan is to raise Kuruvai on 10,000 hectares. Transplantation has been completed on 8100 hectares. Out of this System of Rice Intensification method of cultivation was done on 5000 hectares. Irrigated pulses have been raised in Chithirai Pattam ie in April and May on 5399 hectares. Co-operative banks have planned to disburse Rs. 85 crore of crop loans and nationalised banks Rs. 510 crore for this year in the district, Mr. Chandrasekaran said.
Anbazhagan, Joint Director of Agriculture and others participated. Farmers said that adequate flow of water should be maintained in Vennar division to take up samba cultivation. They also wanted co-operative loans to be distributed quickly.
