he farmers in Chhattisgarh have made full preparation for the busy sowing season ahead while waiting for the monsoons to arrive in the State. On the other hand, the Agriculture department has speeded up distribution of fertilisers, seeds, and agriculture loan to the farmers.
According to Agriculture Department officials, arrangement for certified seeds has been made for the farmers more than their demand. Necessary chemical fertilisers have also been stored.The Department has 8,25,735 quintals of certified seeds, which is 81,394 quintals excess of the demand.Total 7,12,112 quintal paddy seeds of different species has been stored, whereas, the demand is for 6,60,962 quintal only.
Similarly, the Department has stored 20,446 quintal maize and 2,168 quintal seeds of other crops.The demand for seeds of other crops is 843 quintal only. As such, total 7,34,726 quintal foodgrain crop seeds are available for distribution to the farmers.The officials stated that for the Kharif season, 7,337 quintal Arhar seed is available against the demand of 4,892 quintal.The Department has made arrangement for total 14,860 quintal pulses seeds. So far, the Department has distributed 2.30 lakh quintal paddy, 100 quintal maize, 350 quintal Arhar and 29,000 quintal Soyabean to the farmers.
Against the demand of 56,000 quintal Soyabean seed, the Department has stored 57,632 quintal. 422 quintal til, 211 quintal ‘Ramtil’, 2,953 quintal groundnut and 100 quintal sunflower seeds are available for distribution.The officers said that 14,831 quintal ‘San-techa’ seeds has been stored against the demand of 5,842 quintal.The agriculture department, under the ‘Dalhan-Tilhan ( Pulses-Oilseed) Development Scheme, has prepared a programme to distribute 2.25 lakh mini kits of certified seeds of pulses and oilseed in the current kharif season.
For the Kharif season 2014, a target for distribution of 4.50 lakh MT Urea, 1.85 lakh MT Super Phosphate, 60,000 MT Potash, 2 lakh MT DAP, 1.35 lakh MT NPK has been set. So far, 1.21 lakh MT Urea, 31,800 MT Super Phosphate, 21,000 MT Potash, 81,000 MT DAP and 12,000 MT NPK have been distributed to the farmers.