The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : State still tops in productivity of major crops

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

State still tops in productivity of major crops

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 31. Tamil Nadu continues to occupy the top place in all-India ranking in productivity of major crops in spite of various constraints such as fragmentation of land holdings, majority of the cultivable area falling under dry land condition, over-exploitation of irrigation sources, deterioration of soil health due to continuous intensive cropping, shrinking trend of gross cropped area and also recurring drought, according to the Minister for Agriculture, K. Pandurangan.

Mr. Pandurangan, who moved the demand for grants to his Department in the Assembly today, said since the total foodgrain production was all set to cross 90 lakh tonnes during 2004-2005, the Government had fixed 97.27 lakh tonnes, including 78 lakh tonnes of rice, as the target for 2005-2006. Steps would be taken to bring maize, pulses and oilseeds under contract farming.

Denying the Opposition charge that the budgetary allocation for agriculture was scaled down, he said though the Government earmarked Rs. 882.41crores for 2004-2005 for this sector, the amount included the Government subsidy of Rs.175.70 crores on power consumed by agricultural pump-sets. With the re-introduction of the free power scheme, there was no need for setting apart the subsidy, he said adding that the Government earmarked Rs. 854.41 crores for agriculture in the budget for 2005-2006, which was Rs. 147.70 crores more than last year's allocation.

`No locus standi'

The Opposition had "no locus standi to criticise the Government," as the United Progress Alliance Government at the Centre had drastically reduced the allocations under various heads for 2005-2006, when compared to 2004-2005.

The State Government had set out its strategies to achieve the goal in agricultural sector during 2005-2006, taking the new challenges thrown by globalisation. Adoption of alternative cropping, dry land development, cultivation on vast tracts of wastelands, speedy transfer of technologies to the farmers through information and communication technology (ICT), introduction of contract farming system and ensuring availability of quality seeds on enhanced seed replacement ratio were its components, he said.

Taking up ICT activities such as providing information on availability of inputs, market situation and so on, at a cost of Rs. 19.06 crores with the NABARD loan, setting up of agricultural facilitation centres in 200 non-taluk headquarters blocks at a cost of Rs. 100 crores, extending precision farming project to six districts with an outlay of Rs. 10 crores and infrastructure development at a cost of Rs. 3.20 crores at the exclusive agri export zone (AEZ) for banana in Tiruchi district, eight daily and weekly markets in seven districts and at Kodaikanal to promote floriculture and construction of drying yards at 200 villages at a total cost of Rs. 4 crores were among the new schemes. The grant of lump sum amount under the Tamil Nadu Farmers Development Fund in case of death or permanent disability due to accident had been raised from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. one lakh, he said. Five documentary films would be produced at a total cost of Rs.10 lakhs on food processing industry and AEZs.

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