Novel initiative to promote Bengal gram seed production

Adilabad: The Agriculture department has identified 2200 farmers from 13 mandals to produce Bengal gram seeds in 800 hectares as part of rural seed development programme. The department supplied the seeds to the farmers at a cost of Rs 3840 per quintal extending a subsidy of 60 per cent to the farmer. In all, 550 quintals of seeds worth Rs 37 lakh were supplied to the farmers.

According to district agriculture officer Usha Rani, the department is providing training to the farmer in three phases right from planting the seeds to the crop management. In Gudi Hatnoor, Ichchoda, Indravelli, Adilabad, Jainath, Boath, Tamsi and Talamadugu mandals, the farmers started producing the Bengal Gram seed using the J11 variety of seeds. The advantage of the programme is to ensure that the farmer got quality seeds and ease the economic burden.

The farmers will sell the seeds direct to the farmers and derive benefit. The seeds will fetch very good price in the market. A farmer, Santosh, was jubilant at the prospect of producing seeds without having to depend on the seed companies. According to a farmer Lakshman, the production of seeds will make the farmers self-reliant and will enable them get the seeds at a cheaper price. Moreover, the farmers will get higher returns on selling the seeds compared to selling the normal crops. The farmers have been appealing to the state government for necessary technical expertise to promote seed development in a big way.

By Thotla Chinna Anjaiah