Karnataka   

Farmers expect bumper paddy yield

DAVANGERE: There has been a considerable increase in the area under paddy in the district with the crop cultivated in 50,220 hectares of land this summer. As most farmers in the Bhadra command area did not cultivate any crop in last kharif because of the canal work, paddy fields have become more fertile.

However, farmers who have water sources such as borewells, cultiva-ted paddy in 17,000 hectares. Davangere, which is becoming a prominent paddy-growing area, produced 2,66,000 lakh tonnes last summer. The production expected this summer is 2,92,532 lakh tonnes. As farmers are happy with the good price paddy has been fetching of late, many of them have taken up cultivation. Farmers can hope to get between Rs. 920 and Rs. 1,100 for a tonne of paddy depending on the variety.

Fortunately, paddy was not affected by pests such as brown plant hopper or diseases such as blight this time.

Farmers are now busy harvesting their crop all over the district. Combined harvesters from neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have been brought to Davangere and are being put to use in many fields. Most farmers prefer these machines, which help them save on labour costs.

Joint Director for Agriculture Shivamurthappa told The Hindu here on Friday that many farmers had got 45 bags of paddy per acre and expressed confidence that farmers might get good returns for their produce this time. He said the Agriculture Department, which has been assisting farmers all through this season by providing them with technical guidance, would continue to assist them in marketing their produce.

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