Date:23/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/23/stories/2006082312250400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Flood-tolerant paddy variety released

Special Correspondent

Latest variant of the crop can survive two weeks of submergence

Chief Minister asks officials to complete seed replacement in three years
35 per cent of seed replacement has been completed in the State

Centre includes seed replacement in flood relief package for State

Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy and Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy releasing the new paddy variety

Hyderabad: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy directed the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University on Tuesday to replace all existing seed varieties in the State with improved variants within the next three years.

Releasing the world's most flood tolerant variety of paddy -- Swarna sub 1 -- an improved version of the popular Swarna variety, he said without proper seed, the productivity levels of the farm sector would remain low. He thanked the Centre for including seed replacement in the Andhra package of flood assistance in all 16 districts.

The Chief Minister hoped the latest variety of paddy with a capacity to survive even two weeks of submergence would come as a boon to the farmers, especially in delta regions and along the course of the major rivers.