Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

19,000 ha covered under paddy in Tuticorin

— Photo: N. Rajesh

Field study: Collector G. Prakash inspecting a paddy filed at Kootudangadu near Tuticorin on Thursday.

Tuticorin: Collector G. Prakash, along with a team of officials from the Department of Agriculture, took stock of the agricultural activities being carried out in various blocks of the district here on Thursday.

Demonstrations under the schemes of National Agriculture Development Programme, Integrated Cereals Development Programme and Agricultural Technology Management Agency were held during the process of Collector’s visit.

With the cono weeder, marker and fertilizers the demonstrations were made. Paddy crop had been cultivated in over 19,000 ha in the district so far. Of this, 8,230 ha had been covered under the System of Rice Intensification method, the Collector said.

“Almost all paddy fields are pest free and conducive to vegetation. Normally, farmers get about seven tonnes of paddy per hectare, but under the SRI we are able to yield over 10 tonnes,” farmers from Kootudangadu, Palayakayal, Arumuganeri, Angamangalam, Kurukattur and Perur said.

He also inspected the agri plant clinic and mini soil testing laboratory at Mukkani here. The farmers could well utilise the expertise of he technicians in the lab and adopt suitable strategies conducive to the soil to multiply the yield of crops. By availing the soil health cards, the farmers could make use of the labs. “The agric plant clinics are functioning at Mukkani, Sathankulam, Udangudi, Pudukotai and Kayathar and seven more clinics will be in place in other blocks within March 2010. Such labs are being established at a cost of Rs.6 lakh with a subsidy of Rs.3 lakh provided to the Primary Agriculture and Cooperative Bank under the NADP scheme”, he said.

He also inspected adaptive research trial on paddy crop at Arumuganeri and Kootutangadu to select the saline resistant paddy variety. The team also monitored the pest surveillance plot at Kootutangadu. V. Louis Rajarathinam, Joint Director, I. Joseph, Nodal Officer, ATMA, T. Ranjithsingh Dhanraj, Deputy Director (GOI Schemes), K. Gunabalan (State Schemes in -charge) Balasingh, Agriculture Officer, A. Dhanasingh David, PA to Collector (Agriculture) and other officials accompanied.

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