The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Wheat cultivation doubles

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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Wheat cultivation doubles

Staff Reporter

We are cultivating it for our consumption, says farmer

Earlier farmers cultivating foodgrains took to commercial crops, mainly cotton
Wheat consuming communities woken up to threat of foodgrain shortage

Welcome trend: Wheat crop in fields near Indervelli mandal headquarters.

ADILABAD: The increasing cultivation of wheat in tribal areas in Adilabad district can be construed as a trend reversal, comparatively small but perceptible nevertheless. Over last year’s 2,300 hectares under wheat crop, this foodgrain was sown in almost double the area this rabi season.

Experts in the field of Agriculture and the Union Government will have something to cheer about due to this development.

The perceived threat of shortage of foodgrains because of the ever growing inclination of farmers towards the commercial crops has been agitating the minds of scientists.

“We are cultivating it for our consumption,” said farmer Rathod Suraj of Indervelli. Wheat consuming communities like Banjaras, Mathuras and Marathas in the tribal belt of Utnoor division have woken up to threat of foodgrain shortage.

It was in the early 1970s that the first cotton hybrids arrived on the scene in Adilabad district. Similarly, farmers who were used only to cultivation of foodgrains took to commercial crops, mainly cotton.

The area under food grains like paddy, jowar, maize and pulses was over 3 lakh hectares even in 2002. This decreased by 1 lakh hectares by the last rabi season though the total area under cultivation has increased by over 25,000 hectares.

The Central government has also launched the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) recently with the objective of improving food grain production in the country. Adilabad is one among the chosen districts across the country to implement the NFSM.

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