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Farmers opting for vegetables, pulses
With cotton crop in dry lands of the district declining by one-third from 25,000 hectares to 9,000 hectares, due to lack of remunerative price (Rs 25-30 a kg) and pests, farmers are shifting to cultivation of pulses and vegetables.
As cotton cultivation becomes unremunerative
Pithapuram: With cotton crop in dry lands of the district declining by one-third from 25,000 hectares to 9,000 hectares, due to lack of remunerative price (Rs 25-30 a kg) and pests, farmers are shifting to cultivation of pulses and vegetables. Cotton was once the main crop in the district cultivated in 25,000 hectares. With a steep fall in the area covered, it is now confined to only 9,000 hectares across the district.
Earlier in Gollaprolu mandal the crop was raised in 4,200 hectares. There were many cotton dealers in Gollaprolu village. Farmers from Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and other districts used to take their cotton seeds from the village. This year only 2,000 packets of seeds have been sold. Dealers said even reducing the price did not help.
Farmers say the main reason for the fall in the cotton cultivation is the lack of reasonable price. As against the rate of Rs 40-60 a kg, it has fallen to Rs 25. Besides, the cost of cultivation including land tenancy, labour, fertiliser, insecticide totaled to Rs 20,000. Farmers express concern that not even half of the amount spent is being recovered.
Besides, they said, after raising cotton throughout the year there is no scope for alternative crops. Last year cotton farmers suffered with the crop crashing in about 10,000 hectares because of pest attack. There were no preventive measures to check the pest. Agriculture Officer Padmasri told The Hans India that the virus spreads as there was no change in BT seeds.
Hence, she had stressed that farmers should not opt for cotton. Even the state government had also propagated this. The department officials organised awareness meetings to inform farmers that they should not opt for cotton crop. As such ryots had no alternative but to give up cotton.
Consequently they took to cultivation of vegetable and pulses. Now they are raising 'beera'(ridge gourd), 'anapa'(bottle gound), 'aakakarakaya' (teasel goud), 'kakara'(bitter gourd), 'dosa' (cucumber) as they have to only make the initial investments and need not spend on fertiliser and pesticides. They are able to complete the crop in three months and immediately take up tomato.
They express confidence of increasing the output if they later take up pulse cultivation. This is also being emphasised by Padmasri to them. She is suggesting that they should take up pulses along with vegetables. Horticulture Officer N Sujata informed farmers that the government is offering subsidy on vegetable seeds.
The subsidy can be claimed by submitting applications along with purchase bills. She told The Hans India that the government is also giving many incentives for taking up horticulture plantations. Sujata stated that the area under vegetable crop is going up, as the department officials are going round every village giving suitable suggestions to farmers.
By Saride Nageswara Rao
