Mahabubnagar: Adopt alternative crops, Collector urges farmers

Mahabubnagar: The farmers of Palamuru region have been told to go for low investment and high profit earning crops during the Yasangi season in the district.

While taking part in a Rythu Samanvaya Samithi meeting at Ippalapally village, the district Collector S Venkat Rao, urged the farmers that it is high time that the farming community must try to adopt the changing crop patterns in accordance to the market demand, so that it will help them earn more profits and at the same time incur less cost on the crops.

Revealing the State government's agriculture policy initiative relating to farming sector, the district Collector said that majority of farmers who were habituated to go for Paddy must also think innovatively and come out of the traditional practices. Based on the water availability, soil condition, temperature and other environmental conditions, it is very important for the farmers to go for low investment and high yielding variety of crops.

The Collector also reminded that during the Yasangi season the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has expressed its inability to procure Paddy. Keeping this in view, the farmers must think of alternative crops other than Paddy.

The Collector suggested crops like pulses, black gram, groundnut, green gram, oil seeds and other horticulture crops can be taken up as an alternative to Paddy. These crops take less water and give more profits.

"Globally there have been lots of innovative techniques have come into the farming sector. The farmers must also adopt those innovative farming techniques to gain more yield with less water and less input costs. Sowing paddy regularly will also damage the soil condition and lose its fertility and mineral base. If alternative crops are sown the land will be enriched with more nutrients and it will help earn more yields," said the Collector.