The sale of cotton seed has commenced at various parts of the district on Wednesday even as the sky turned overcast leaving ample indications of good rainfall ahead. According to official sources, the Agriculture Department has already disbursed a total of 8.5 lakh cotton seed packets to the licensed distributors and retail outlets all over the district.
Nearly 8.50 lakh packets containing BT cotton seeds of different companies have been made available at the outlets for distribution among the farmers. As many as 2.58 lakh cotton seed packets have been earmarked for Khammam division, which accounts for a major chunk of the area under cotton cultivation in the district.
The officials concerned have drafted an action plan to ensure supply of more than 10 lakh cotton seed packets in the kharif season-2013 in anticipation of good rain. A team of agriculture department officials, headed by the Joint Director V. B. Bhaskar Rao visited some outlets at Gandhi Chowk on Wednesday to oversee the distribution of cotton seeds. The officials reviewed the arrangements to be taken for smooth distribution of the seeds as the demand for cotton seed is likely to grow in the next couple of days. All necessary arrangements have been made to ensure timely distribution of the cotton seeds to the farmers in a hassle free manner, said Mr. Bhaskar Rao. A total of 8.50 lakh BT cotton seeds of different companies had been kept at the disposal of the licensed dealers and outlets to meet the demand from the cotton cultivators; he said adding that the area under cotton cultivation was expected to increase from 1.62 lakh hectares to 1.82 lakh hectares in the kharif season.
