The Hindu Business Line : AP hoping for marginal rise in foodgrain output

Hyderabad March 28 Notwithstanding a setback in kharif season, the Andhra Pradesh Government is hoping to register total foodgrain production of 174.72 lakh tonnes for 2006-07 against 169.50 lakh tonnes last year.

The State registered marginal growth in the kharif season, with the total food grain production pegged at 94.11 lakh tonnes (93.83 lakh tonnes).

Estimates for paddy for the whole year are placed at 126.64 lakh tonnes (117.04 lakh tonnes).

RABI CROP

Speaking to newspersons on the annual agricultural performance on Wednesday, Ms Poonam Malakondaiah, Commissioner for Agriculture, said that the rabi season proved to be handy for the State to recoup.

She pegged the rabi contribution at 80.61 lakh tonnes during the year against 75.67 lakh tonnes last year. But the oil seeds sector received a major setback with the failure of groundnut this year. The estimations for oil seeds were put at 15.73 lakh tonnes (20.42 lakh tonnes).

"Groundnut has pulled down the figures this year. Its production fell to 4.25 lakh tonnes from 9.12 lakh tonnes in the kharif. Overall, the groundnut estimations for the year is put at 8.54 lakh tonnes, lower from 13.66 lakh tonnes," she said.

The Commissionerate has asked the mandal agriculture officers to inform the headquarters on any unusual pest or disease attacks. "We call it postcard system. They need not wait for the fortnightly meetings to discuss the problems with the higher-ups."

The Department has banned Mahyco Seeds' chilli seed variety, Tejaswini, in Khammam district for three years after farmers complained of its poor performance in some mandals. "We have not received any complaints from other districts. We will consider if there are any," the Commissioner said.

Cases filed

Meanwhile, sources in the Government said that the Agriculture Ministry had initiated 107 cases with regard to spurious seeds in 2006-07.

Also, the Government asked 13 companies, against whom 26 complaints were received, to pay compensation for selling seeds that were non-adaptable, genetically impure and susceptible to viruses in some districts.

The list included Mahyco Seeds, Namdhari Seeds, Ankur Seeds and Vishal Seeds.

These companies were asked to pay a total compensation of Rs 3.62 crore for varied reasons. Of this, Mahyco Seeds alone was asked to pay about Rs 2 crore.

However, these companies approached the High Court challenging the Department's contention.

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