The Hindu : Front Page : Foodgrains target set at 115 lakh tonnes for this year

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Sunday, Jun 19, 2011
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Foodgrains target set at 115 lakh tonnes for this year

T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI: An ambitious target of foodgrains production of 115 lakh tonnes has been fixed for the current year.

This was decided at a two-hour-long meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat on Friday.

Compared to the production in 2010-2011, this year's target is higher by 30 lakh tonnes. Acknowledging that the target is on the higher side, a senior official says that there is enormous potential to be tapped to achieve the target.

Focussed attention will be on bridging the yield gap, particularly in respect of paddy (rice). It is for this purpose that the system of rice intensification (SRI) is being popularised.

The coverage of area proposed for the year is 42 lakh hectares against the previous year's 36.48 lakh hectares.

Of the total targeted food grains production, paddy (rice) accounts for 85.5 lakh tonnes; millets – 23.5 lakh tonnes and pulses – 6 lakh tonnes. During 2010-2011, the figures of production were 62.53 lakh tonnes (paddy), 19.15 lakh tonnes (millets) and 3.67 lakh tonnes (pulses), totalling 85.35 lakh tonnes.

This year, paddy will be raised over 22 lakh hectares against 20.16 lakh hectares in the previous year; millets over 10 lakh hectares (8 lakh hectares) and pulses 10 lakh hectares (8.32 lakh hectares).

The Chief Minister advised officials to take up SRI over nine lakh hectares this year.

She also gave a host of directions to them. The short-term crop – Kar/Kuruvai/Sornavari – should be covered over 3.2 lakh hectares, using the opportunity of timely release of water from dams. Agricultural implements should be made available through the Agricultural Engineering Department and cooperative societies at the lowest value of rent. Through the programme of sustained sugarcane initiative, 4,000 hectares should be covered. She emphasised the importance of information dissemination by the extension wing of the Agriculture Department regarding technology application and its benefits.

Among those who participated in the meeting were K.A. Sengottaiyan, Agriculture Minister; Debendranath Sarangi, Chief Secretary; K. Shanmugam, Principal Secretary (Finance) and K. Arulmozhi, Principal Secretary (Agriculture).

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