Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Authority (TSSOCA) has stated that fall army worm attack on maize crop has impacted the seed production under the OECD programme.
TSSOCA, which is nodal certifying agency for seed production under OECD, has suggested the farmers producing maize seed under OECD programme both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to sow the seed crop only in November-December period to reduce the intensity of fall army worm attack on the crop.
Director of TSSOCA K. Keshavulu stated that the extent of maize cultivation under OECD seed programme was coming down in Telangana due to the fall army worm attack during the last two seasons. The cultivation of seed production had come down particularly in Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Khammam districts.
Mr. Keshavulu along with other officials of the authority examined the standing maize seed production crop taken up under OECD in the Godavari Lanka (island) villages in West Godavari on Tuesday. He stated that they had surveyed production of paddy, jowar (sorghum), soyabean, bengalgram and maize seed under OECD programme both by public and private sector seed companies. The production of maize seed was high in both the Telugu States, he added.
He explained that maize seed production was used to be in about 10,000 acres in Karimnagar, 35,000 acres in Khammam, 45,000 acres in West Godavari and 5,000 acres each in East Godavari and Kadapa districts to meet the seed needs within the country as well as in OECD members countries with the help of TSSOCA certification.
Rain-fed areas
However, the extent of maize seed production had come down in Telangana due to fall army worm since last year as its impact was seen high in the water-stress and rain-fed areas. The TSSOCA officials examined the standing maize seed production crop at Munikodali Lanka and others villages in West Godavari district on Tuesday.
