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K.V. Kurmanath

The Agriculture Ministry has taken up two major initiatives to increase productivity of paddy and groundnut and reclaim alkaline lands by providing subsidised inputs.

Hyderabad June 3 With weathermen predicting a good, normal monsoon this year, the Ministry of Agriculture is gearing to meet the input and seed requirement for an estimated 80.72 lakh hectares in kharif 2007-08 against the usual area of 77.92 lakh hectares.

The total seed requirement covering the targeted area is put at 39.11 lakh quintals.

"We have estimated that the total availability of seeds from various agencies and sources would be 41.22 lakh quintals. We will see to it that there won't be any shortage of seed," Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy, Minister for Agriculture, told Business Line.

The foodgrain production target for the kharif season is put at 108.45 lakh tonnes over a total area of 44.41 lakh hectares.

Of this, paddy would be sown on 25 lakh hectares, which would require an estimated 10.62 lakh quintals of seed.

The figures for other major crops are groundnut (10 lakh hectares and 15 lakh quintals) and cotton (10 lakh hectares and 25,000 quintals).

On the fertiliser front too, the Minister said that there are enough stocks for June.

"We have a stock of 6.05 lakh tonnes as on May 30. For June, the manufacturers plan to supply another 3.58 lakh tonnes, totalling 9.63 lakh tonnes against the requirement of 4.08 tonnes for the month."

NEW INITIATIVES

Apart from this, the Ministry has taken up two major initiatives to increase productivity of paddy and groundnut and reclaim alkaline lands by providing subsidised inputs.

It is targeted to supply 15,880 tonnes of zinc sulphate, covering a total area of 3.17 lakh hectares of paddy and groundnut fields and 1.58 lakh farmers during the year.

Of this, 1.27 lakh hectares be covered in the kharif season.

The Ministry also intends to supply 60,000 tonnes of gypsum to 6,000 farmers in order to reclaim 12,000 hectares. Of this, 7,200 hectares would be covered in the kharif season.

`MODEL FARMER'

The Ministry is experimenting with the concept of `Adarsha Rythu' (model farmer) in a big way this season to guide the farmers and to act as a medium of interaction for them with officials of various Departments on some pressing problems.

"Issues like pest attacks cannot wait. The model farmers could inform the officials for immediate action. They (officials) are bound to react," Mr Reddy said.

The picture, however, is not that rosy. Last week, there was trouble in Adilabad district with thousands of farmers mobbing a Bt cottonseed sales point, worrying that they might not get their share.

Though the Government blamed it on lack of planning on part of the seller, there is an opinion that this might be an indication of the impending rush for the Bt cottonseed, keeping in mind the increasing euphoria over the transgenic seed.

More Stories on : Seeds | Andhra Pradesh

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AP Govt promises adequate seed availability for kharif

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