Nellore farmers in a fix over restrictions on cultivation of rice variety

Nellore: Farmers are in a fix over restrictions being imposed by the state government on cultivation of a popular variety of rice known as MTU 1010 in this region.

Farmers prefer this variety because it can withstand seasonal weather but the civil supplies wing has its reservations about this paddy variety due to lack of market for it.

Leaders of farmer’s associations said farmers have limited the cultivation to one lakh acres during the second crop this year though there was permission for 5.50 lakh acres. This was due to the marketing problems cited against MTU 1010 even as this is most-suitable for the second crop.

Out of one lakh acres of crop area, 50 per cent of the cultivation was of MTU 1010 during the current season.

In fact, MTU 1010 paddy variety has been popular for more than a decade in Nellore and Chittoor regions because of its acceptance for public distribution, though the grain size is thick due to the scope for its conversion as boiled rice for export to southern states and to other countries.

However, the situation changed after the government's decision to supply fine variety of rice to people through the public distribution system.

Moreover, the demand is increasing for the fine variety rice with its slender grain, unlike MTU 1010, which is thick, big in size, and suitable for boiled, puffed and flattened rice.

Even the demand in neighbouring states also came down because their farmers started cultivating varieties suitable for local consumption.

President of the federation of farmers associations, Chirasani Koti Reddy, said farmers have been planning to switch over to slender varieties such as NLR 34449, NLR 3354 etc from Telangana and they are likely to stop the cultivation of MTU 1010 from the current season.

He said they are appealing to the authorities to purchase the MTU 1010 variety cultivated in 50,000 acres during the second crop in Nellore district.

Claiming that the authorities in Chittoor district are accepting the variety, he urged the government to clear the dues related to paddy purchased during the previous harvest season while pointing to troubles in the farming community because of the Covid19 pandemic.