Hyderabad: Encourage farmers to go for Sona cultivation in a big way

Hyderabad: State Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy asked the officials of the department to be proactive in creating awareness about the cultivation of Sona variety of fine rice among the farmers.

Speaking at a review meeting on the supply and position of seeds for the ensuing rainy agriculture season, here, on Thursday he said that the Sona variety of rice is beneficial to the people facing the diabetic problem. Considering the health benefits of the same State government has decided to encourage the cultivation of Sona variety of fine rice.

He asked the official machinery of the department to create awareness among the farmers to take up Sona variety of fine rice in the State in a big way. Reviewing the steps to be taken for the supply of seeds, Niranjan Reddy said, "Once the rains begin, the farmers will not wait. So a comprehensive action plan should be prepared to supply and make available the required quantities of quality seeds." For this he asked the officials to take up maintenance of a daily stock register of availability of seed stock.

Also, to seek daily stock supplies from all the important seed supplying companies to know the status. The minister informed that the Telangana Seeds Development Corporation is geared up to produce four lakh quintals of seeds for the ensuing rainy agriculture season.

The meeting was attended by State Agriculture Secretary, B Janardhan Reddy; State Seeds Development Corporation Chairman, K Koteswara Rao and its Director Dr Kesavulu along with senior officials of the agriculture department.