The Hindu : Karnataka News : Potato growers not to get compensation

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Karnataka

Karnataka

Potato growers not to get compensation

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Minister for Horticulture Umesh Katti has ruled out providing compensation for potato growers for the crop loss occurred on account of blight disease in Hassan district.

Replying to Y.N. Rudesh Gowda of the Congress in the Legislative Assembly during question hour, the Minister appealed to potato growers to cultivate crops other than potato. There was no facility in the department for releasing compensation for the crop loss on account of diseases. Compensation would be given to growers only if the crop was damaged or destroyed on account of natural calamities, he said.

In Hassan district, during the current kharif season, 17,500 hectares potato had been sown. In some parts of the district, symptoms of blight disease had been reported. Last year, a lot of publicity had been given to farmers to go for alternative crops other than potato. At present, due to heavy rainfall and cloudy weather, blight disease has been reported in the fields of a few farmers. These fields had been inspected by Horticulture department officials and farm scientists who have recommended the fungicidal sprays to be taken up by farmers, he said. H.K. Kumaraswamy (Janata Dal-Secular) urged the government to ensure supply of certified seeds to the growers in the district. The blight disease had destroyed the potato crop last year also, he said. The Minister said the State got potato seeds from Punjab. The department had been supplying pesticides at subsidised rates to growers, he said.

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