The Department of Agriculture has drawn up major plans for increasing paddy cultivation in Ernakulam district. The aid from the Department includes ₹61.5 lakh for sustained paddy cultivation in 4,500 hectares.
According to the Department estimate, a total of 6,000 hectares are under rice cultivation in the district. The Department will also provide a total of ₹5.40 lakh at the rate of ₹360 per hectare per paddy collective. Around 1,500 hectares of paddy cultivation will benefit from the support scheme, says a press release from the Farm Information Bureau.
The government plans to support special varieties of rice like pokkali and Basmati. A total of ₹10,000 per hectare will be provided as incentive for cultivation of the special rice varieties. A total of ₹40 lakh has been set aside for pokkali cultivation in a total of 400 hectares. Those cultivating Basmati and Njavara rice varieties will also get benefits. A total of ₹50,000 can be spent on every five hectares of the rice varieties.
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Upland farming too has come in for special incentive. The Department plans to provide ₹13,600 per hectare incentive for upland paddy farming. Besides, a total of 100 hectares more will be brought under upland farming, adds the press release. Special groups will be formed to promote upland rice cultivation and a total of ₹70,000 will be spent on forming these groups to promote upland rice farming.
The department expects to bring an additional 300 hectares of fallow land under rice cultivation during the current financial year. Last year, the district saw a total of 214 hectares of fallow land coming under paddy cultivation. An incentive of ₹7,000 per hectare will be provided for sustaining cultivation on the land brought under cultivation last year. Fallow land being brought under cultivation this year will receive incentives to the tune of ₹25,000 and ₹30,000 per hectare, says the release.