Date:03/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/03/stories/2008060351960300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Farmers hope to extend area under paddy cultivation

Staff Reporter

Maize to be taken up in 1 lakh hectares, jowar and cotton in 30,000 hectares
Preparations made to open 16 agro service centres in rest of the mandals

Sangareddy: The action plan for Kharif season for Medak district envisages cultivation of paddy in 50,000 hectares and the farmers who are readying their fields to receive the monsoon rains hope to extend paddy to more hectares depending on the extent of rains. According to the joint director of agriculture Chandrasekhar, maize would be taken up in one lakh hectares, red gram and black gram in 25,000 hectares each, jowar and cotton in 30,000 hectares. The required pulse and maize seed for kharif has been positioned in 30 agro service centres all over the district and preparations have been made to open another 16 in rest of the mandals. The seed would be available to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy. So far 3000 quintals of subsidy seed out of the allocated quantity of 7000 quintals reached the district. However the distribution would begin after the commencement of rains.

The Collector also reviewed the preparedness of the agriculture department here today along with officers from the Andhra Pradesh Dairy Development Corporation. It was decided that farmers would be offered seed for green manuring at 50 per cent subsidy to encourage green manuring. Seed of ‘daincha’ and sun hemp would be provided to farmers from this kharif season. Similarly Rythu Sadasssus would begin from Thursday at Sadasivapet, Siddipet on June 7 and June 9 in Ramayampet. Farmers would be given advice on the farm-related issues for the kharif season.

Farmers in the district particularly in the rain-fed areas of Zaheerabad, Kangti, Munipalli, Naryankhed, Jherasangham have started preparing their land for the monsoons. However most of the farmers in the region go for sugarcane as there is no assured water supply here. Despite of the hardships faced in selling their produce during past two years the farmers prefer to stick with cane in the Zaheerabad sub division.

Farmers also face the problem of labour as most of the local workers prefer to work under the Employment Guarantee Programme.