Change crop pattern, Niranjan urges farmers

He appealed to farmers to reduce paddy cultivation and instead opt for cotton, pulses and oil seeds during the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season.

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy appealed to farmers once again to reduce paddy cultivation and instead opt for cotton, pulses and oil seeds during the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season. He said the farm operations have picked up with sowing activities taken up in about 34.35 lakh acres of normal cultivation area of 1.41 crore acres in the State.
The State had received 195.55 mm rainfall which is in 50 per cent excess of normal rainfall of 130 mm during the monsoon season as on Wednesday. The rains have been extremely high with Adilabad district recording highest cumulative rainfall of 318.7 mm. During last season, the State recorded a rainfall of 171.6 mm.

In a statement, the Minister said major crops like cotton have reached 26.05 lakh acres and redgram has reached 3.18 lakh acre. Paddy has been sown in around 96,000 acres. Blackgram is being cultivated in about 50,000 acres and maize in one lakh acres. Apart from this, cultivation of various vegetables including leafy vegetables has been taken up in 87,000 acres. Horticultural crops including fruit orchards are being grown in another 5.7 lakh acres.
“Farmers are responding to the call given by the State government and taking up cultivation of cotton and redgram on a large scale,” he said.

---

Niranjan Reddy said the State government has deposited Rs 7,360.41 crore into the bank accounts of 60.84 lakh farmers under Rythu Bandhu scheme as well as made available adequate quantity of seeds and fertilisers to meet their needs. As against 25.5 lakh tonnes of fertilisers required for this monsoon season, about 8.38 lakh tonnes of fertilisers and 4.35 lakh tonnes of urea are available with the State. The authorities have been directed to import fertilisers as per the Centre’s allocation for the months of June and July as per the quota allotted to Telangana. Further, action is being taken against manufacturers and suppliers of spurious seeds with the Task Force teams conducting regular raids and checks across the State. So far, about 325 criminal cases have been registered and 518 persons were arrested in this regard.