Agricultural activities in Mysuru district for the kharif season have gained momentum following good rains in most parts of the district in the last fortnight. According to the Agriculture Department, sowing has completed in over 7,884 hectares in the district as against the targeted 3,90,690 hectares for the kharif season. Similarly sowing has completed in over 7,884 hectares as against the targeted 2,74,090 hectares in the district. However, sowing is yet to be commence in over 1,16,600 hectares.
Farmers in most of the places in the district are busy preparing the fields to sow green gram, black gram, hybrid jowar, maize and cotton.
M. Mahanteshappa, Joint Director of Agriculture, told The Hindu here on Thursday that ‘subsidised’ seeds of different crops have been stored in sufficient quantity at all the Raitha Samparka Kendras, and farmers can purchase the seeds as and when they need it. Required quantity of fertilizers have also been stored at the Karnataka State Marketing Federation and at the societies, and also at the private dealers and he claimed that there would not be any fertilizer shortage during the entire kharif season.
According to the Joint Director, Mysuru district has received an average of 45 mm rainfall in the first 20 days of April. H.D. Kote had received 27.5 mm, Hunsur 31.1, K.R. Nagar 25.3, Mysuru taluk 34.3, and Nanjangud taluk received 38.7 mm, Piriyapatna 30.4 and T.Narasipura received 21.7 mm rainfall up to April 20. All taluks have received over and above the normal rainfall in the past four months, he added.
Reviewing the steps taken by the department to help the farmers during the kharif season, the Chief Executive Officer of the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat P.A. Gopal on Thursday instructed the officials concerned to be on the field and help and educate farmers on the scientific way of cultivation. He asked the officials concerned to ensure that required quantity of seeds are made available at subsidised rates at all the RSKs, and he told the Joint Director to ensure that all fertilizers are made available in required quantity in the district.
Officials from departments of horticulture, sericulture and veterinary were among many other officials present at the meeting that was convened as part of the ‘Krishi Divas’ celebrated the office of the Department of Agriculture on Thursday.
