Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Encouraging farmers to cultivate cash crops



By Haryananewswire
CHANDIGARH, JULY 3
With a view to encouraging the farmers of Haryana to diversify their crops,  20,000 plots for cultivation of Guar,12,000 plots for maize and 4520 plots for direct sowing of paddy of basmati variety would be set up.
        While stating this here today, an official spokesman said that with a view to create the interest of farmers towards cash crops and other crops under Crop Diversification Scheme in district Sirsa, a sum of over Rs 7.74 crore would be spent to develop their interest  towards Guar and Maize crops. Under this Scheme, Guar and Maize demonstration plots would be set up over an area of 10,750 hectares of land in the district.
        He said that about 40,000 hectares of land at state level would be covered under Guar, Maize and other crops. He said that with a view to increase the interest of farmers towards these crop, plots would be set up over 10,250 hectares for Guar, 250 hectares each of Maize and direct sowing of paddy of basmati variety. He said that 500 plots have already been set up for direct sowing of paddy of basmati variety. He said that a maximum of 10,250 demonstration plots would be set up in district Sirsa followed by 8150 in Fatehabad, 1000 in district Jind and 600 in district Kaithal.
        He said that last year in the district, Guar crop was sown over 78,000 hectares of area whereas it is expected that Guar would be sown over about one lakh hectare of area during this year. He said that this year, farmers have been taking keen interest in Guar crop instead of paddy and cotton. Government would provide seeds, pesticides and fertilizers of Rs. 1800 to set up exhibition plots of Guar crop under Crop Diversification Scheme. Similarly, inputs of equal amount would be provided for maize crop. The area cultivated under Guar crop was 57,000 hectare in the year 2009 and 76,000 hectare in 2010 and 57,000 hectare in 2012 whereas it is expected that Guar crop would be sown on more than one lakh hectare of area in this year.

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