VIJAYAWADA : As an above-normal southwest monsoon has been predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Andhra Pradesh, the Agriculture Department has set a target to achieve a crop coverage of 34.26 lakh hectares and production of 165.15 lakh metric tonnes (MT) during Kharif 2024. The normal extent of cultivation for Kharif is 32.49 lakh hectares.
It may be noted that the southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Thursday and is expected to arrive in the Rayalaseema region by next week. As per the action plan for Kharif 2024, the target for paddy cultivation has been set at 15.63 lakh hectares, against the normal area of 15.12 lakh hectares. The expected production is 85.47 lakh MT. The target for total cultivation of coarse grains, including jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, and other minor millets, is 2.19 lakh hectares, against the normal area of 1.94 lakh hectares.
Similarly, the target for the cultivation of pulses, including red gram, green gram, and black gram, is 3.34 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 2.97 lakh hectares. The target for the cultivation of total food grains is 21.16 lakh hectares, against the normal area of 20.02 lakh hectares, with an expected food grains production of 96.98 lakh MT. After paddy, groundnut is cultivated to a large extent during Kharif in the State, particularly in Rayalaseema. For this Kharif season, the target has been set at 5.92 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 5.55 lakh hectares. The expected production is 6.49 lakh MT. The target for the cultivation of total oilseeds is 6.58 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 6.12 lakh hectares.
The target for the cultivation of cotton (lint) is 5.98 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 5.79 lakh hectares. Similarly, the target set for sugarcane cultivation is 0.57 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 0.51 lakh hectares, and that of tobacco is 0.05 lakh hectares, against the normal extent of 0.04 lakh hectares.
Agriculture Special Commissioner C Hari Kiran said it has been proposed to supply 6.32 lakh quintals of seed on subsidy, incurring an expenditure of Rs 200 crore towards subsidy. Groundnut seeds have been proposed to be provided at a 40% subsidy, millets and green manure at a 50% subsidy, pulses at a 30% subsidy, and paddy at Rs 500 per quintal in non-National Food Security Mission (NFSM) areas and Rs 1,000 per quintal in NFSM districts. A subsidy for tribal farmers in agency mandals has been proposed at 90%, and in case of contingencies like heavy rains, floods, and drought, the subsidy has been proposed at 80%, pending government approval. It is planned to supply 17.50 lakh MT of fertilizers to farmers during Kharif. Of this, 5.60 lakh MT will be distributed through Rythu Bharosa Kendras. The State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) has planned to arrange credit (crop loans) to the tune of Rs 1,66,000 crore for farmers, and the department will coordinate to achieve this target, Harikiran said. Of this, Rs 99,600 crore will be for Kharif, he added.
Source: The Indian Express