As the rains begin to soak the fields of Dakshina Kannada, the paddy growers who went for mechanised transplanting instead of farm inputs will be gett ing a cash incentive from the government.
In reality, this will not make a lot of difference to the farmers, except that they will get the money in their bank accounts and not in the form of farm inputs. They will get ₹4,000 a hectare or ₹1,600 an acre this year.
This year, the government has decided to stop giving input subsidy or farm inputs worth ₹3,000 an acre (which was in vogue till last year) to paddy growers who went for mechanised transplanting. The input subsidy included providing fertilizers, seeds and agricultural lime. But in fact, the farmers used to get inputs worth about ₹1,600 only as the maximum fixed amount of ₹3,000 covered administrative expenses for organising demonstration of mechanised transplanting in the field of the farmer.
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This year, the cash incentive will be debited directly to the bank accounts of the farmers.
According to H. Kempe Gowda, joint director, Department of Agriculture, Dakshina Kannada, the 50% subsidy to the paddy growers, which is called general subsidy, will continue. It is for purchasing seeds, fertilizers and other inputs and equipment.
He said paddy growers could hire 21 paddy transplanters from the custom hire centres of the department in 11 places across the district.
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Sowing target
Mr. Gowda told The Hindu that the target of kharif sowing (of paddy) in the district is 28,000 hectares. Of the 400 quintals of paddy seeds in stock, farmers have already purchased 285 quintals of MO 4 red variety, which yields in about 135 days. The department had seeds of Jaya and Jyothi varieties in stock. Farmers have also sowed many local varieties.
Sowing activities, which usually begin in late June, have already commenced because of the good summer rains in the district in May. The actual average rainfall in May was 144 mm, as against the normal average of 170 mm.