Kerala   

‘Drastic cut in area under paddy farming’

KASARAGOD: The area under paddy cultivation in the State has come down drastically in the last 30 years and earnest steps are needed to stop levelling of paddy fields for other purposes and start cultivation in fallow fields to increase production of paddy and ensure food security, Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said.

The Minister was inaugurating a seminar on food security organised here on Monday on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the formation of Indian Coffee House.

The total area of fields under paddy cultivation in the State began decreasing from 1976 onward, Mr. Mullakkara said. The total area under paddy cultivation, which was over five lakh hectares before 1976, was at present 2.63 lakh hectares.

At present the State produced only 0.06 per cent of total rice produced in the country, said Mr. Ratnakaran.

On an average 21,000 hectares of paddy fields were being levelled in the State every year, Mr. Ratnakaran said.

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