PATNA: The state department of agriculture has rolled up its socks to speed up seed distribution and help farmers during the kharif season. Early onset of southwest monsoon in Bihar has made favorable conditions for farmers to sow paddy seeds.
The department has set a target to distribute 1.13 lakh quintals of paddy seeds, including 10,000 quintals of hybrid seeds (DRRH3, DRRH2, 27P31 and Arize) and the rest seeds of open pollinated varieties (IR-64 , Swarna MTU-7029 and Sabour Shree). Under its door-to-door delivery scheme, the districts distributed seeds to 56,000 farmers against 1.60 lakh of registration.
So far, 26,000 quintals of seeds have been distributed to farmers by district agricultural officers since May 28.
Aadesh Titamare, Director of Agriculture and Managing Director in charge of Bihar Rajya Beej Nigam Limited, said the department had received 12 lakh farmer applications for subsidized paddy seed. “District agricultural officers selected eligible candidates and then distributed the seeds accordingly. We must achieve our seed distribution target by June 30,” he said.
Titarmare also said the department has decided to start early sowing of kharif crops to give a one-month window before wheat planting begins. “Previously, we distributed seeds until mid-July. However, this time we will complete the distribution by June 30. Due to the late cultivation of kharif, farmers burned their crop residues to start sowing wheat in time. Analyzing climate fluctuations as part of our climate resilient agriculture program, the department decided to sow early to stop this practice of burning crop residues,” he said.
For the distribution of fertilizers, the Minister of Agriculture Amrendra Pratap Singh would hold a meeting with supplier companies on Monday. The state government would adopt a zero-tolerance policy against overpricing and the black market in fertilizer.
Agricultural experts believe that farmers in Bihar would get a good yield in this kharif season due to early onset of monsoon, widespread rains and early sowing of paddy seeds.
Abdus Sattar, an agro-meteorologist at the Central Agricultural University of Dr Rajendra Prasad, said the pre-monsoon showers prepared the fields for growing kharif crops as the moisture level in the soil was good after the 27 may. spend money on diesel to run the water pumps,” he said.
“In college, we prepared a model for rice cultivation and analyzed that early sowing of paddy seeds would benefit farmers because they would get a good yield and their crop would be ripe by mid-September. This would give them enough time for wheat cultivation in November,” Sattar said.
As far as rainfall is concerned, Khagaria saw the maximum rain of 47mm while Patna recorded a downpour of 43.8mm in the last 24 hours followed closely by 18.8mm of rain in Chappra and 14, 6mm at Bhagalpur. Light to moderate rains have occurred in many places over North Central and South West Bihar and most places over other parts of the state over the past 24 hours.
The department has set a target to distribute 1.13 lakh quintals of paddy seeds, including 10,000 quintals of hybrid seeds (DRRH3, DRRH2, 27P31 and Arize) and the rest seeds of open pollinated varieties (IR-64 , Swarna MTU-7029 and Sabour Shree). Under its door-to-door delivery scheme, the districts distributed seeds to 56,000 farmers against 1.60 lakh of registration.
So far, 26,000 quintals of seeds have been distributed to farmers by district agricultural officers since May 28.
Aadesh Titamare, Director of Agriculture and Managing Director in charge of Bihar Rajya Beej Nigam Limited, said the department had received 12 lakh farmer applications for subsidized paddy seed. “District agricultural officers selected eligible candidates and then distributed the seeds accordingly. We must achieve our seed distribution target by June 30,” he said.
Titarmare also said the department has decided to start early sowing of kharif crops to give a one-month window before wheat planting begins. “Previously, we distributed seeds until mid-July. However, this time we will complete the distribution by June 30. Due to the late cultivation of kharif, farmers burned their crop residues to start sowing wheat in time. Analyzing climate fluctuations as part of our climate resilient agriculture program, the department decided to sow early to stop this practice of burning crop residues,” he said.
For the distribution of fertilizers, the Minister of Agriculture Amrendra Pratap Singh would hold a meeting with supplier companies on Monday. The state government would adopt a zero-tolerance policy against overpricing and the black market in fertilizer.
Agricultural experts believe that farmers in Bihar would get a good yield in this kharif season due to early onset of monsoon, widespread rains and early sowing of paddy seeds.
Abdus Sattar, an agro-meteorologist at the Central Agricultural University of Dr Rajendra Prasad, said the pre-monsoon showers prepared the fields for growing kharif crops as the moisture level in the soil was good after the 27 may. spend money on diesel to run the water pumps,” he said.
“In college, we prepared a model for rice cultivation and analyzed that early sowing of paddy seeds would benefit farmers because they would get a good yield and their crop would be ripe by mid-September. This would give them enough time for wheat cultivation in November,” Sattar said.
As far as rainfall is concerned, Khagaria saw the maximum rain of 47mm while Patna recorded a downpour of 43.8mm in the last 24 hours followed closely by 18.8mm of rain in Chappra and 14, 6mm at Bhagalpur. Light to moderate rains have occurred in many places over North Central and South West Bihar and most places over other parts of the state over the past 24 hours.
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