Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Farmers likely to get short-term loans

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI, MAY 30. The Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies, R. Ambikeswaran, said the Government proposed to sanction short-term farm loans of Rs.115 crores to farmers in the district this year.

Speaking at a seminar on farm inputs, sponsored by the Anbil Dharmalingam Agriculture College and Research Institute and Cooperative Department, at the college campus, here on Wednesday, Mr. Ambikeswaran said the objective of the loan was to extend financial support to farmers in the small and medium sectors.

Advocating the importance of bio-fertilizers, he said, farmers should resort to the use of neem cake, which had a direct impact in maintaining the texture and fertility of the soil. He urged the cooperative officers, to create awareness among the farming community, on the need for raising and marketing neem saplings.

M. P. Sivan Arul, Special Officer, Tiruchi District Central Cooperative Bank (TDCCB), in his inaugural address, said the objective of the training programme, was to create awareness among the secretaries and the special officers of the primary agricultural cooperative banks and the marketing societies, on the use of farm inputs.

He spoke about the plan to market fertilizers, worth Rs. 60 crores, in Tiruchi district, this financial year. Farmers' clubs and women self-help groups should create awareness, he said. He also suggested that a certain component of kisan credit card programme be included, to market fertilizers. He appealed to officials of the cooperative societies to conduct motivation sessions, to put farm inputs to proper use.

S. Ravichandran, Principal of the Institute of Cooperative Management, said the fruits of the training should percolate down to the farming community, to achieve higher productivity and to maintain soil fertility. He said all arrangements had been made to impart a comprehensive training, to officials of the cooperative societies, who should carry forward the message to rural farmers.

P. Sivaraman, Chief Executive Officer of the TDCCB, said an all out effort had been made by government agencies, to create awareness among farmers, on the use of vermi compost.

Ilango, Regional Manager of the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Marketing Union, said that, although last year the target was to market 40,000 tonnes of manure, only 10,000 tonnes could be marketed due to the drought. This year, the target is to market 25,000 tonnes of fertilizers, he added.

The Dean of the Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, S. Antonyraj said the farming community, with the help of bio-fertilizers, managed to achieve self-sufficiency in food production, in the 1960s. Farmers in foreign countries prefer bio-fertilizers, and do not mind paying a higher price for the same.

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