Peddapalli: Preparations for the cultivation season begin

Peddapalli: With the onset of southwest monsoon in the State, farmers as well as officials in the district have started preparations for the vanakalam cultivation season.

Farmers across the district have been ploughing the fields to keep them ready for sowing the seeds as it is expected that the rainfall may be as expected in the season. They are now busy procuring seeds and fertilisers in the market.

According to agriculture officials there are a total of 1.31 lakh farmers in the district and of them 1.72 lakh farmers cultivating their own lands. Around 20,000 of them are tenant farmers. Seeds and fertilisers were made available in enough quantities in the market.

Speaking to The Hans India, the District Agriculture Officer, Tirumala Prasad informed that a total of 2. 89 lakh acres of area estimated to be under crop cultivation through borewells, SRSP canals, tanks and ponds in the district.

Paddy will be cultivated in 1.67 lakh acres, cotton in one lakh acres, maize in 20, 000, millets in 632 acres, green gram in 412 acres and other crops in 159 acres. 40,000 quintals of paddy seeds of all varieties and 1.50 lakh packets of cotton seeds are available in the shops in the market.

While the district needs 35,000 metric tonnes of urea for fertilizers, around14,000 metric tonnes already made available. About 1100 metric tons DAP is available as against the requirement of 6, 000 metric tons. 7000 complex fertilizers are made available, Prasad noted.

The official appealed to the farmers to buy fertilizers and seeds required for kharif crop cultivation from authorised shops and agricultural societies. Farmers should not buy fake seeds at the shops selling them without receipts.

Cotton seeds that are loosely sold by unlicensed shops at a low price, without giving a receipt should not be purchased. Agriculture department along with police set up taskforce committees to curb spurious seeds sales in the district, Prasad added.