Farmers’ Associations in Ariyalur district have appealed to the State government to pressure private sugar mills to pay the State Advised Price of Rs. 2,650 a tonne of sugarcane for this year.
On behalf of all farmers associations, Raja Chidambaram, State secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, submitted a petition to the district collector A. Saravanavelraj at the farmers grievances day on Thursday.
In the petition, the associations said that the 24 private sugar mills in the State have paid the SAP till 2012-13. They have to pay for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
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District Collector said that samba paddy had been cultivated on 57,205 acres in Ariyalur district this year.
Paddy under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method had been cultivated on 5,470 acres of land in 95 villages. As samba harvest has started, 25 Direct Purchase Centres of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) had been opened in the district for procuring samba paddy.
From January 21, DPCs had been functioning from Thuthur, Guruvadi, Elakurichi, Ilanthaikudam, Keelakolathur, and Kamarasavalli in Ariyalur taluk and Muttuvanchery, Kodalikaruppur, Gangaikondacholapuram, T. Pazhur, and Vazhaikurichi in Udayarpalalyam taluk.
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From January 29 (Thursday), DPCs had been functioning from Thirumazhapadi, Keelakavattankurichi, Vizhuppanankurichi, Palnganatham, Vilagam, Oriyur, Venganur, Kovilesanai, Karaivetti, and Kallur in Ariyalur taluk and Karaikurichi, Sripuranthan, Periyathukurichi in Udayarpalayam taluk, and R.S. Mathur in Senthurai taluk.
There was a stock of 432 tonnes of urea, 458 tonnes of Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), 577 tonnes of potash, and 742 tonnes of complex fertilizers with Primary Agriculture Co-operative Credit Societies and private companies.
A total of 452 tonnes of certified seeds have been distributed. Out of this, 252 tonnes have been distributed by Agriculture Extension Centres, 20 tonnes through co-operatives and 180 tonnes through private parties.
Pulses have been raised on 2,133 hectares of land in 33 villages. The target is to raise pulses on 2,288 hectares in 38 villages.