Narayanpet: Go for high yielding alternative crops, Collector Harichandana urges farmers

Narayanpet: District Collector D Harichandana urged the farmers in the district to avoid the regular paddy crop and opt for short-term high yielding but demanding less investment and more profit earning crops.

As part of this, she advised agriculture officials and seed dealers to take the responsibly of spreading awareness on alternative crops for the farmers during this Rabi season.

While speaking at a Rythu Vedica programme held in Jajapur village of Narayanpet district on Monday, the Collector said that there is a misconception among the farmers that alkaline soils (Chowudu bhoomi) is supporting only paddy crop, however, they can also go for various other alternative crops and the responsibility of suggesting the right crop in such soils lies with the concern agriculture and extension officers and the seed sellers in the region. "I suggest that the farmers must come out of the misconception that alkaline soils are meant for only paddy.

Many other alternative crops can also grow in such soils. As the government is not going to procure paddy in Rabi season, it is the responsibility of the agriculture extension officers and the seed sellers to suggest the right crop in such soils. It will also help grow the business of the seed sellers and at the same time the farmers will also gain with better yielding crops with good profits," said the Collector. As the State government had taken it as a policy to not to suggest paddy for the Rabi season, the farmers are advised to take alternative crops instead of paddy. As advised by the experts, in the present context, farmers can take up oil palm, organic crops, groundnut, vermicelli, millets, sesame, black gram, sunflower, cotton and fruits and vegetable cultivation instead of paddy, advised the Collector.

The Collector also advised the seed dealers to keep stock of alternative seeds and discourage paddy crop in the district. "During the Rabi season, FCI is reluctant to procure the boiled rice and therefore paddy grown during Rabi is full of husk and it is not profitable for the farmers. In view of this it is the responsibility of each and every farmer to go for alternative and more profit yielding crops as per the market demand," observed the Collector.

District Agriculture Officer John Sudhakar, seed dealers and others took part in the Rythu Vedica meeting.