The Hindu : Front Page : Samba crop area to be expanded in Madurai district

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Samba crop area to be expanded in Madurai district

Special Correspondent

“Ensure quality seeds and fertilizers”
Stress on judicious water use

MADURAI: The prospects of agricultural operations in southern districts were discussed by the top brass with officials of Department of Agriculture here on Wednesday.

Speaking at the meeting, State Agriculture Production Commissioner K. Nandakishore said that the officials should ensure that quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides were kept ready at all the stores/locations.

He stressed the need for prompt distribution and education of the salesmen to display the stock position.

He also reviewed the likely extent of cultivable area in each revenue district, officials who attended the meeting said. “Depending on the rain, timely release of water from the reservoir is expected to play a key role this season,” they added. Madurai Collector N. Mathivanan said that the district had a cultivable area of about 65,000 hectares under paddy for which water for irrigation was normally released on June 1. Due to the failure of southwest monsoon, water could not be released.

After taking stock now, it had been proposed to extend the samba cultivation from 46,500 hectares to 55,000 ha in the district. Depending on the availability of water on August 15, the officials hoped to provide water to more pockets.

He outlined the measures taken to educate farmers on the judicious use of water management.

Mr. Nandakishore also discussed the functioning of the newly opened farmers’ shandy in Anaiyur, Madurai district and reviewed the progress of other shandies.

The officials said they had adequate fertilizer stocks in the southern districts. Officials from Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts participated in the meeting.

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