Seeds distributed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 13 2021:
Agriculture Minister Oinam Lukhoi Singh has handed over district wise allocation of free certified High Yielding Variety (HYV) paddy seeds through the District Agriculture Officers concerned today.
The seeds were distributed during a programme "Enhancement of Rice Production in the State" held at Agriculture godown at Lamphelpat.
On the occasion, the Minister stated that the seeds were distributed free of cost in view of the hardships being faced by farmers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier the same were sold at at 50 percent subsidy.
The seeds were distributed under the supervision of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Informing that farmers can procure these high yielding seeds through the DAOs concerned, he expressed belief that the seeds will help farmers increase their production.
The Minister further mentioned that the deficit in food grains specially rice in the State is huge and added that the State Government constituted a sub-committee for enhancement of rice production in the State on September 7, 2020 .
The sub-committee drew up and recommended 10 (ten) approaches and strategies to increase rice production in the State.
The strategies, according to the sub-committee, are increasing seed replacement rate; enhancing varietal replacement rate; increasing cropping intensity; expansion of irrigation facilities; adoption of more intensive cultivation practices; maintaining soil health and providing judicious soil nutrients; revisiting the extension mechanism; facilitation of credit, finance, crop insurance; marketing & creation of rural storage infrastructure and farm mechanization.
The Minister also interacted with the DAOs to take stock of the ground situation of the department in all the districts and encouraged them to work in the interest of the farmers.
He later inspected various fertilizer godowns in the presence of Commissioner of Agriculture, M Joy Singh, Director of Agriculture, Kh Lalmani Singh and officials concerned.
M Joy, on the other hand, informed that the quantity of paddy seeds to be distributed to farmers through DAOs is 122 metric ton.
The high yielding varieties include RCM-7; RCM-12 and RCM-13 .