Rains spur farming activity in Srikakulam district

Srikakulam: Farming activity for kharif season is gathering pace with the onset of monsoon. Most of the areas in the district received moderate to heavy rains. The farmers have begun preparation for cultivation of paddy. Paddy is the main crop during kharif season in the district. Paddy crop is being cultivated in an extent of 5.18 lakh acres across the district.

Farmers in the district prefer Sampat Swarna and Swarna varieties. But this year, the government has imposed ban on cultivation of Sampat Swarna variety. As a result of it, farmers have decided to switch over to Swarna variety. Rice millers are not purchasing 1075, Samba Masuri, 1001 variety paddy. Presently Swarna variety seed is available at subsidised price.

The stock is sufficient only to 10 per cent of area under cultivation. Total area under cultivation is 5.18 lakh acres. Against this backdrop, farmers are making efforts to procure Swarna variety seed from private traders and the traders are exploiting farmers by jacking up the price.

Seed companies fixed Rs 1,000 per 50 kg Swarna seed bag, but traders in rural areas are selling it at Rs 1,300 per 50 kg bag. On the other hand, tenant farmers are unable to get seed through government channel as they have no documentary proof regarding cultivation of the lands. The government needs to supply seed sufficiently to the farmers at subsidised price to prevent private traders from exploiting the farmers, AP Rythu Sangham Palakonda division president B Appala Naidu demanded.