Govt Supplying Alternative Seeds to Anantapur Farmers At 80% Subsidy

Anantapur joint collector C. Vishnucharan has directed Agriculture and allied departments to ensure that farmers fully utilise alternative seeds being supplied by the state government with an 80 per cent subsidy, so that the remaining cultivable area in the district could be covered with crops.

Reviewing the progress of cultivation by farmers at the mini conference hall in the collectorate at Anantapur on Wednesday, the joint collector asked officials to encourage farmers to cultivate millets and pulses, such as foxtail millet, sorghum, horse gram, cowpea and green gram, in view of the prevailing weather conditions due to El Nino.

District Agriculture Officer (DAO) Salureddy informed that Anantapur district normally receives 275.6 mm of rainfall from June to September. But this year, only 176.1 mm of rains have been received, a 36 per cent deficit. However, with the district receiving rains during the past three days, farmers could sow alternate crops that would survive.

The DAO said against the targeted 3,43,394 hectares for cultivation, crops have so far been raised over 2,78,407 hectares, achieving 81 per cent of the target.

In this regard, the joint collector directed officials to bring the remaining area under cultivation using alternative seeds, including for fodder. He suggested achievement of crop cultivation targets using the half-moon model in all 302 Rythu Seva Kendras.