Stating that soil test was crucial in cultivating any crop for better yield, Agriculture Minister, Krishna Byregowda has said that the government intends to cover all the farmers of the State for giving soil health cards in next three years.
Addressing presspersons at a farm in Angadageri village of Basavanabagewadi taluk of the district on Thursday, he said that since a large section of farmers in the State were not aware of the importance of soil testing, the government would test the soil in their farm and provide soil health card.
“The card would held the farmers to know which nutrient/fertilizer is important and in what quantity for which soil. The precise information helps in reaping higher crop yield”, he said.
The Minister said that in order to help the rainfed farmers to get better yield, he said that the government was offering Rs. 2 lakh financial aid to the farmers for constructing a water pond under ‘Krishi Bhagya’ scheme.
Calling it as ‘protective irrigation method’, the Minister said that the government wishes all the rainfed farmers to make use of the scheme.
He said that farmers who have no irrigation facility often lose their crop to deficient rain. To ensure adequate water to the crop to prevent it from withering, the ponds would help in storing the rain water, which could be used in emergencies, he said.
Mr. Byregowda said that the government has already received some 1.85 lakh applications under the scheme for this year itself.
To a question, he though admitted that the production of Jowar was still not sufficient in the State to be given under Public Distribution System for the people of North Karnataka, he however said that the decision has been taken to procure the commodity at Rs. 2000/quintal to encourage the farmers for more cultivation of Jowar.
