NAVEENA GHANATE
Hyderabad
Although somewhat late, the current spell of rains is finally helping with cropping in the state. State Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said that agricultural work was going on in full swing. Paddy planting was at peak. He said that the rains were suitable for the cultivation of maize till the end of July.
The Minister said, going by the suggestions of scientists, kandiand cotton crops could be sown for another week. Farmers already engaged in paddy cultivation should immediately complete planting.
Earlier, Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, Agriculture Secretary Raghunandan Rao, Special Commissioner HanmanthuKondiba, Additional Director Vijay Kumar, Agros MD Ramulu, Horticulture Department JD Sarojini and others held a high-level review at the Agriculture Minister’s office in the State Secretariat.
The Minister said: “We have already reviewed the availability of irrigation water in the Godavari catchment area and the Krishna catchment area once by the CM at a high-level meet and twice on behalf of the department. At the field level, the agricultural officers should educate farmers about the cultivation of crops. Special attention should be paid to the cultivation of short-term crops”
“Focus should be on direct seeded short duration rice varieties.
Through this, the cost of the crop and the cultivation period come together. Fertilisers and seeds required by farmers are available. With the rains received till Tuesday, the rainfall in the state has reached the normal level”, he said.
The Minister said: “According to the forecast of the Indian Meteorological Department, there is a chance of rain for the next three days. There are positive conditions for oil palm cultivation in 32 districts of Telangana. The target for oil palm cultivation in this year is 2.30 lakh acres, including that in the five new districts.”
The Minister said that oil palm cultivation had been hampered due to heavy rains last year. “Everything is looking positive this year. Planting of oil palm trees has already been completed in 11,000 acres. Farmers have registered online to plant oil palm saplings in 75,000 acres, In this regard, all the subsidies required for the farmers are available. The authorities should encourage more farmers to cultivate oil palm”, Niranjan said.
Niranjan said that in newly selected districts for oil palm cultivation, plants should be given immediately from nurseries of other districts and planted immediately.
“So far, 65 lakh acres of agricultural and horticultural crops have been cultivated in the state this year”, he said.
