HYDERABAD: With rains having been insufficient so far, cultivation of various crops save cotton is yet to pick up in the State. Against the normal cropped area of 43,344,87 hectares, sowing has been done only on 11,39,171 hectares. This is just 26 per cent of the total area. And of this area, 69 per cent is of the cotton crop.
With monsoon rains having arrived in the State, farmers of all crops are busy preparing their lands for sowing. Sowing for rain-fed crops such as jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, groundnut, sesame, pulses, soybean and cotton has already begun. Planting of paddy will be in be in full swing in the next two weeks. Principal Secretary, Agriculture, C Partha Sarathi on Saturday hosted a video conference from the Secretariat with officials concerned.
He pointed out that the last date for payment of insurance premium to cotton farmers is July 15, and July 31 for others. “Ryhtu Bandhu amounts have been deposited to the accounts of 60 per cent of all eligible beneficiaries. Under the Rythu Bhima scheme, a cumulative Rs 641 crore has been paid to kin of 12,820 deceased farmers,” he said.
Partha Sarathi also address a letter to fertiliser manufacturers and suppliers, advising them to start placing adequate indents of urea with the Railways to avoid extra pressure due to rake availability during peak season. “It is needless to reiterate that there will be a spurt in the demand for urea in the coming days. Fertiliser manufacturers/importers are once again advised to hasten up the supply on pro-rata basis,” Partha Sarathi said in the letter.
The principal secretary also alerted district collectors in the State about the incidence of fall army worm (FAW) in the State during Kharif season. He told the collectors to be vigilant in the coming days.