Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Foodgrains States - Andhra Pradesh AP: Foodgrains production target 205 lakh tonnes Our Bureau
Cashing in With a view to tap increased demand for organic farm produce, the Department had prepared a plan to encourage bio-fertilisers and liquid bio-fertilisers.
Hyderabad , April 3 Encouraged by a good crop year last year, the Andhra Pradesh Government has targeted to achieve a total foodgrains production of 205.49 lakh tonnes during 2006-07 against 186.02 lakh tonnes in 2005-06. Of this, rice would contribute 144.42 lakh tonnes (132.93 tonnes), while pulses would chip in 18 lakh tonnes (13.54 lakh tonnes). The Agriculture Ministry, in its plan for Agriculture Action for 2006-07, has envisaged a Rs 469.23-crore budget for agriculture as against 333.27 crore last year. The Ministry had targeted to bring in an additional nine lakh hectares (four lakh hectares in the kharif and five lakh in the rabi season) under cultivation this year. It also wanted to increase the productivity of various crops significantly. While productivity in paddy was expected to grow to 3,347 kg/hectares (as against the normal yield of 2,846 kg/ha), productivity in jowar would go up to 1,140 kg/ha (950 kg/ha) and groundnut to 1,159 kg/ha (742 kg/ha). During the year, a total of 4.5 lakh soil samples would be analysed for macronutrients and about 1.5 lakh samples for micronutrients. Besides, 6,500 water samples too would be analysed. The Ministry planned to distribute six lakh soil health cards, comprising the outcome of the soil tests. he Agriculture Department would distribute easy-to-use soil testing kits to the farmers, through rythu mitra groups (RMGs) to let them test the soil instantaneously.
Organic farming
With a view to cashing in on the increased demand for organic farm produce, the Department had prepared a plan to encourage bio-fertilisers and liquid bio-fertilisers. The farmers practicing organic methods, however, need certificates to get benefit in the market place. But this was a costly affair. To begin with, the Department had decided to subsidise the cost for certification to five farm groups in each district. The total outlay was Rs 55 lakh. The Department had also decided to employ information technology in dissemination of information to farmers on a variety of issues. This included input positions, prices and varieties of accepted fertilisers and pesticides. This year, the Department planned to add one lakh new RMGs, comprising small, marginal and tenant farmers.
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