The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Agriculture Department seeks 3.93-cr. input subsidy for ryots

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 18, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture Department seeks 3.93-cr. input subsidy for ryots

Correspondent

Over 17,000 ha of standing crop damaged in recent rain

Kakinada: The Agricultural Department has submitted proposals to the government seeking sanction of Rs. 3.93 crores towards input subsidy to farmers whose crops have been adversely affected in the recent rains.

Some 17,458 hectares of standing crop of all types, including paddy, cotton and sugarcane, was adversely affected because of heavy rain in the months of September and October. As per an estimate, input subsidy of Rs.40.5 lakhs for crop loss in September and Rs. 352 lakhs for loss suffered in October was required.

Deputy Director of Agriculture I. Ramakrishna Murthy said that despite rain havoc, the crop yield was expected to be at the optimum level this year. He said paddy fields were now under flowering stage and incidence of Brown plant hoper (BPH) pest was noticed. As such, the department suggested the farmers to take up pest control measures.

Worst-hit mandals

As per the preliminary survey, he said the crop damaged included 13,678 hectares of paddy, 1,210 hectares of sugarcane, 68 hectares of tobacco, 430 hectares of cotton, 51 hectares of pulses,100 hectares of chilli and 120 hectares of vegetables.

He said the most affected mandals were Korukonda, Gokavaram, Seethanagaram, Pithapuram, Gollaprolu, U. Kothapalli, Thondangi, Jaggampet, Yelesweram, Peddapuram, Kirlampudi and Devipatnam. The input subsidy, he said, was enhanced this time by 25 per cent from the existing Rs.1,875 to Rs.2,200 per hectare. As against the total 2.34 lack hectares of paddy area, he said the crop damage was confined to only 13,000 hectares. Since the crop condition in the remaining area was fairly good, he was confident of better yield.

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