Rainfall touches normal levels improving Kharif prospects in Telangana: Niranjan Reddy

Though the crop season was delayed, an extent of over 65 lakh acres was covered with agriculture and horticulture crops in the State so far

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said on Thursday that the rainfall received in the State so far had reached the normal levels improving the Kharif prospects.

Reviewing the sowings, availability of seeds and fertilisers with the officials of the department at the Secretariat, he said though the crop season was delayed, an extent of over 65 lakh acres was covered with agriculture and horticulture crops in the State so far, thanks to the rains received this month.

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He asked the department officials to educate the farmers on the need for opting for short-duration crops. Red gram and cotton sowings can be carried out still for another week. Rains created conducive atmosphere for the cultivation of maize crop and sowing can be carried on till the end of this month.

He wanted farmers to complete paddy transplantation without further delay. According to the forecast of the Meteorological Department, rains were likely for another three days. The conditions were favourable for oil-palm cultivation in 32 districts of the state.

As against the target of 2.30 lakh acres, oil-palm plantation was completed in 11,000 acres so far. Farmers have completed the registration process for taking up plantation of oil-palm in another 75,000 acres. The government was ready with the incentives to be extended to the oil-palm farmers, he added.