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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture ministry officials to frequent fields by Shishir Behera

Agriculture ministry officials to frequent fields by Shishir Behera

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published Published on Jun 2, 2010   modified Modified on Jun 2, 2010


Stung by last year’s worst drought in decade that trimmed foodgrain production by more than 15 million tonne, the agriculture ministry asked all its top bureaucrats to visit different states and spend more time in the field this year to ensure timely supply of inputs to farmers and prevent a repetition of last year if monsoon become uncertain.

The move is also meant to effectively monitor the sowing process and expedite the distribution of key inputs like fertiliser and seeds.

Last year, rice production in the country was severely hit due to inadequate rains, as a result of which, in the 2009-10 crop marketing year that ends in June, rice production dropped to 89.31 million tonne, almost 10% less than 2008-09.

To tackle a repeat of last year-like situation and also to augment foodgrain production in the country, agriculture secretary PK Basu has directed top bureaucrats in the ministry to visit different states and spend as much time as possible in the fields to effectively monitor the sowing process and expedite the distribution of key inputs like fertiliser and seeds, a senior agriculture ministry official said, on the condition of anonymity.

Basu has asked additional secretaries of his ministry to spend at least 10 days in different states during the key khalif-sowing period of June and July.

He has also instructed joint secretaries to spend at least 15 days and agriculture commissioner Gurbachan Singh to spend at least a month to visit different states and monitor the sowing operations, the official added.

These measures apart, the ministry has also been keeping a close watch on the situation through regular video conferencing every week, the official said.

As positive signs of monsoon emerge, farmers have already started sowing kharif crops in some places ahead of the actual advent of rains.

According to the latest data from the agriculture ministry, till May 28 the area under rice plantation has come down by around 6% to 3,37,000 hectare this kharif season from 3,61,000 hectare in the same period last year. Sugarcane acreage has increased by 5% to 42,85,000 hectare compared with 40,75,000 hectare last year. The area sown under pulses has also increased by 53% to 53,500 hectare so far this kharif season, compared with 35,000 hectare in the year-ago period.

Nearly two-thirds of the country’s agriculture land is not irrigated and any change in the monsoon pattern spells havoc in the foodgrain production of the country.


The Financial Express, 1 June, 2010, http://www.financialexpress.com/news/agriculture-ministry-officials-to-frequent-fields/627419/0


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