The Department of Agriculture is gearing up for kharif season and has readied 6.48 lakh quintals of seed, out of which 3.82 lakh quintals of seed have been supplied to farmers already, Special Commissioner, Agriculture, D. Muralidhar Reddy, said here on Tuesday.
Addressing a meeting held on the premises of the Agricultural Market Committee here, he said that in view of near normal monsoon this year, the Agriculture Department has piled up stocks to the tune 7.64 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers.
Soil health cards
“We are expecting a near normal monsoon this year with the exception of Srikakulam, Prakasam and Kadapa districts. The kharif preparedness has been so good this year, with sowing beginning in 4.73 lakh hectares out of the targeted 39.53 lakh hectares. Giving soil health cards is another milestone this year with 34.65 health cards being distributed so far. Micronutrients bags have been given to farmers in a big way and we are expecting a good harvest,” said Mr. Muralidhar Reddy.
The Department of Agriculture has also dealt with provision of bank loans to tenant farmers with 5.77 Loan Eligibility Cards (LEC) being distributed, out of which 4.11 lakh LECs being given away to tenant farmers, he said.
The Department of Agriculture has also taken up innovative awareness programmes like ‘Polam Pilustondi,’ in the State creating awareness on innovative farming practices, he added.
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