Despite govt support, farmers go for 'Bondalu' variety

Kakinada: Owing to the great demand for 'Bondalu' variety of paddy (MTU-3626), farmers in Godavari region are gearing up to cultivate Bondalu variety, leaving other varieties of paddy during Rabi season. Despite lack of assurance from the government officials for this variety, farmers are going ahead to cultivate.

The farmers in delta, particularly in Godavari region, used to cultivate Bondalu variety of paddy in Rabi season, as there is great demand for boiled rice in Kerala.

But Kerala government stopped purchasing Bondalu boiled rice from Godavari region, since it is getting the same at a cheaper price from Tamil Nadu. Besides, Kerala people also started cultivating this variety.

Also, Agriculture officials too suggested farmers not to go for Bondalu variety of paddy for the past five years.

According to the officials, Bondalu variety was cultivated in Kharif -2022 season, which fetched them Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,300 per quintal when they sold the yield to the rice millers directly. Recently, the AP government had signed an agreement with the Kerala government for selling Bondalu variety. In view of the agreement, the Kerala government would purchase one lakh metric tonnes of parboiled rice from the AP.

The Irrigation officials will release water to Rabi crop in the entire command areas under Godavari River including ayacuts of Yeleru, Pampa and Subbareddy Sagar in the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts. Water will be given to 1,37,848 acres under Godavari delta, 32,507 acres of Pithapuram Branch Canal (PBC) and 53,017 acres under Yeleru reservoir. The officials assured water to farmers for raising alternative crops also.

Generally, Godavari farmers prefer nurseries and transplantation as it is their traditional farming. Nurseries for paddy seedlings were already started in PB Devam, Somokkota, Gollala Mamidada and other villages.

Speaking with The Hans India, District Agriculture Officer N Vijay Kumar said that Bondalu variety received good encouragement and has a great demand and farmers earned good profit. He said that they didn't receive any guidelines or suggestions from the government regarding Bondalu variety. In case farmers opt for Bondalu paddy, prices may go down and there will be poor response to that variety, he stated. Stating that on such circumstances the government may not come to farmers' rescue, he asked them not to choose Bondalu variety but follow the guidelines and advice of the government.

Vijay Kumar stated that farmers would cultivate 1.62 lakh hectares during Rabi season in the district. The government will not purchase it for custom milling since the people of Andhra and other States do not consume parboiled rice. Hence, they are not encouraging Bondalu variety. He suggested MTU-1121 variety which is suitable for parboiled and normal domestic use. And it will not attract pests like other varieties.

Vijay Kumar said that 80% of farmers prefer direct sowing method to complete paddy crop in Rabi season. He suggested farmers to go for paddy 1121 (PUSA or Warangal Paddy), 1156 (Tarangini) and RNR 15048 (Telangana Sona) varieties in this rabi season. Farmers may seek guidelines from Agriculture department at the time of sowing, he added.