Adequate stock of seeds, fertilizers in Mandya for sowing: Agriculture Department
There is adequate quantity of seeds and fertilizers to meet the demand of farmers in Mandya district, and measures are in place for their proper distribution through Raitha Samparka Kendras.
This was stated by V.S. Ashok, Joint Director of Agriculture, Mandya, on Saturday. He said the district was experiencing good rains which were uniform and widespread. There was also an expectation that the Krishnaraja Sagar, which is the lifeline of farmers in the region, would be filled ahead of normal time this year due to early onset of monsoon.
As the monsoon has intensified so has the agricultural activity gathered momentum and currently seeds of ragi, pulses, cowpea, oilseeds, and green manure crops, along with micronutrients, are being distributed on a subsidised basis to the farmers, Mr. Ashok said.
He said the Karnataka State Seeds Corporation and the National Seeds Corporation have adequately stocked the paddy seeds required for the district, and the Agriculture Department is facilitating their subsidised distribution through the Raitha Samparka Kendras, cooperative societies, and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations).
Mr. Ashok urged the farmers to procure only those varieties of seeds - both traditional and hybrid—that are recommended by the Agricultural University, for the current sowing season.
For the Kharif season, the district requires 73,065 metric tonnes of fertilizers against which 36,598 metric tonnes of fertilizers have been stocked with retail fertilizer dealers, the Karnataka State Seeds Corporation, and the Karnataka State Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited warehouses.
'The remaining fertilizers will be supplied based on weekly demand raised by farmers and distributed appropriately,' said the Joint Director. At present, there is no shortage of sowing seeds, fertilizers, or pesticides for farmers in Mandya, he added.
In a bid to discourage the sale of spurious seeds and fertilizers, meetings have been organised in all taluks of the district with seed, fertilizer, and pesticide dealers, with strict instructions to sell only quality agricultural inputs, according to the officials.
Farmers have also been urged to contact the nearest Raitha Samparka Kendras for information on crop production techniques, crop variety selection, etc. They can also contact taluk assistant agriculture director's office, the Zonal Agricultural Research Center at V.C. Farm, or the scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
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