Paddy farmers worried over seeds, water supply

Srikakulam: Farmers are worried over paddy seed and water for tail-end areas of various projects in the district. As per estimates of agricultural department officials, during the current kharif season paddy crop will be cultivated in an extent of 4.37 lakh acre in all 30 mandals across the district. The quantity of seed required for 4.37 lakh acre is 1.21 lakh quintals. Of this, farmers have to procure 40,000 quintals on their own and the remaining has to be supplied by the agricultural department and AP Seeds Corporation through Rythu Bharosa Kendaras (RBKs). In the wake of predictions that South-West monsoon rains will arrive in the state by June first week, farmers are preparing to start kharif works. To save time and investment and also to overcome labour scarcity, they have adopted direct sowing method to cultivate paddy. Against this backdrop, farmers have started purchase of paddy seed.

Many farmers are not willing to purchase seeds supplied by the agricultural department and AP Seeds Corporation though they are selling notified varieties with Rs 10 subsidy on one kg seed, because they considered them of less quality and poor yields.

They are purchasing paddy seeds from private dealers who procure the same from different parts of AP and Telangana states. Private dealers are selling seed varieties like Nuzivid Sampada, Kanak Plus, Poornima, Subadra, Dharani, Tarangini, Amoolya, Amoolya Gold and Rani. They are selling only varieties which are having demand among farmers. Joint director for agricultural department, K Sridhar said that 36,000 quintals of paddy seed are available in the district and will be supplied to farmers through RBKs after registering details of the farmers.

On the other hand, farmers of tail-end areas of various irrigation projects, Thotapalli barrage, Madduvalasa reservoir, Narayanapuram, Gotta barrage and Vamsadhara reservoir, are concerned over availability of water for the paddy crop. Several villages in Etcherla, Ranastalam, Ponduru, G Sigadam, Palasa and Vajrapukotturu mandals are located at the tail-end areas of the irrigation projects. Due to lack of funds, canal maintenance works were not carried out.