Paddy to be cultivated in 1.69 lakh acres during rabi in East Godavari

Kakinada: Paddy is being cultivated in 1.69 lakh hectares during the rabi season in East Godavari district, which is 104 per cent higher than the normal ayacut, disclosed Agriculture Minister K Kannababu here on Saturday.

Kannababu held a review meeting with officials at his camp office here on Saturday. The Minister said a weekly policy would be implemented from February 6 as part of an efficient water management exercise to provide adequate water for rabi in the district.

He said 4,370 cusecs of water from eastern and central deltas would be utilised for the rabi crop. District Collector Chevuri Hari Kiran would be supervising the implementation of the water management exercise for the Rabi season.

The Agriculture Minister said that there was no shortage of fertilisers and pesticides anywhere in the district and that some people were trying to create artificial shortage of urea. The Minister made it clear that stringent action will be taken against traders if they create artificial shortage in the State.

He said that 25,000 tonnes of the total 30,000 tonne fertilisers required have already been supplied. He said that fertilisers and pesticides were being provided by Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBK) and societies. He said cases would be registered against private licensed dealers if higher charges were Collector for the supply of fertilisers.

The Minister asked agriculture and irrigation officials to be available at the field to educate farmers on the utilisation of fertilisers. He said for the first time after 10 years, farmers were getting an opportunity to raise a third crop between rabi and kharif seasons.