Sowing has been completed in 60 per cent of the land targetted during the current Kharif season so far.The State Agriculture Department has set a target of 48.20 lakh hectares for various crops during the season.The farmers have sown paddy, pulses, oil seeds and vegetables in 28.86 lakh hectares of land in Chhattisgarh.
The Department officers said that paddy, makka , johar, kodo-kudki and other crops are included in the sowing of crops.Sowing had been completed in 13.88 lakh hectares of land for paddy, oilseeds and pulses crops during the ongoing Kharif season till July 7, officials informed.The Bilaspur division is currently in the forefront in the sowing activity where its five districts have completed 37 per cent of the average sowing against the prescribed target.
In Raipur division sowing had been 35 per cent, Surguja division ( 12 per cent) and Bastar ( 20 per cent), officials stated. Notably, State Government's Agriculture Department has set the target of cultivating cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other crops on area of 48.20 lakh hectares in current Kharif season.
The task includes cultivation of paddy, corn, lentils, urad, soyabean and peanuts on 43.79 lakh hectares. In remaining 4.31 lakh hectare of area, other crops will be sown, officials stated. Agriculture Department officials also informed that target has been set to grow paddy on 36.45 lakh , corn on 2.25 lakh hectare, lentils on 1.42 lakh hectares, Urad on 1.64 lakh hectares, Soyabean on 1.58 lakh hectares and peanut on 55,000 hectares.An amount of Rs1356.61 crore worth of loans had been distributed to 4.51 lakh farmers during the current Kharif season by the Chhattisgarh Primary Agriculture Co-Operative Committees, officials stated.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has assured the farmers that they will be provided with short-term farm loans at zero per cent interest rate. As per the directives, the farmers are given loans in the form of cash amounting to 60 per cent and the rest as fertilizers, seeds.Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Bank (Apex Bank ) Chairperson Ashok Bajaj said that all the 1,333 co-operative committees are distributing loans to the farmers at zero per cent interest rate.
The process of giving loans had started on April 1 for the Kharif season. About 1356.61 crore worth of loans have been given away till June 30 to the farmers. This is about 51 per cent of the total loan disbursement. The target is to disburse Rs 2650 crore short-term loans during the current Kharif season. About 27,000 farmers had been given Rs 75.25 crore short-term loans.
Notably, the State Government's Agriculture Department has set the target of cultivating cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other crops on area of 48.20 lakh hectares in current Kharif season. The task includes cultivation of paddy, corn, lentils, urad, soyabean and peanuts on 43.79 lakh hectares. In remaining 4.31 lakh hectare of area, other crops will be sown, officials stated.
Agriculture Department officials also informed that target has been set to grow paddy on 36.45 lakh , corn on 2.25 lakh hectare, lentils on 1.42 lakh hectares, Urad on 1.64 lakh hectares, Soyabean on 1.58 lakh hectares and peanut on 55,000 hectares.
A State-level Monitoring cell has been established at the Directorate of Agriculture in Raipur to keep track of the availability of basic ingredients for the Kharif season 2015.The move is to ensure farmer are made available urea, seeds, high-quality farm equipment, organic manure and other necessary material, officials stated.