Karimnagar farmers not showing interest in fine variety paddy

Though there is huge demand for fine variety rice in the market, farmers are staying away from the crop due to a variety of reasons.

Karimnagar: Farmers are not evincing any interest in sowing fine variety paddy, despite the government’s announcement to give Rs 500 bonus to fine variety paddy from Vanakalam season. Though there is huge demand for fine variety rice in the market, farmers are staying away from the crop due to a variety of reasons. According to agriculture department officials, about 20 to 30 per cent farmers will cultivate the fine variety. As of now, there is no change in it.

High investment, less yield and vulnerability for infections and insects are the main reasons for the farmers not coming forward to sow fine variety. Moreover, it requires high maintenance when compared to normal variety. Including land tilling, weed removal, spraying pesticides and labour charges, about Rs 30,000 is enough for cultivation of normal variety in an acre land. However, the fine variety required Rs 35,000.

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Farmers have to spray pesticides two to three times additionally since it would easily be infected by insects. For this purpose, ryots have to spend Rs 5,000 additional amount than that normal variety which requires pesticides ranging between Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500. When 30 to 35 bags of yield can be expected for the normal variety paddy, only 30 bags yield can be expected in the fine variety.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a farmer from Chenjerla, Muthya Narsaiah said that cultivation of fine variety involved more risks. The Rs 500 bonus announced by the state government was not enough since the crop would easily be infected by insects. Moreover, the lower yield would be produced. In the last Yasangi season, he cultivated Basmati variety paddy in his three acres of land. However, he could not get any benefit as yield declined due to unseasonal rains and insect attack, Narsaiah said.

In some areas, farmers are showing interest in fine varieties. In Karimnagar rural mandal, a few ryots from Cherlabuthkur, Chamanpalli, Erukulla, Mugdumpur, Gopalpur, Elabotharam and Jublinagar are in favor of fine variety. Thimmapur mandal agriculture officer Surender said that in every season, 20 to 30 per cent farmers would cultivate fine variety. Stating that as of now, there was no change in that figure, he opined that ryots may opt the crop since few fine variety paddy seeds would be cultivated only after July 15.

Jai Sriram, BPT, RNR, Telangana Sona, Kaveri are being cultivated in Telangana.