‘Food production in State may go up by 4.5 pc’
With the increase in population, the State government has decided to increase the food production by 4.5 per cent.
As it is impossible to increase the area of production, the government has introduced several schemes in the form of disseminating information on high yield, subsidy to the farmers. Dakshina Kannada district has 17 raitha samparka kendras. Farmers are being trained at District Agriculture Training Centre at Belthangady. Soil and water testing lab is also functioning in Mangalore. Fertiliser testing laboratory is functioning at Belthangady.
Paddy is grown in 35,000 hectare during kharif season. It is 24,000 hectare in rabi season and 2,500 hectare during summer. As a result, paddy is grown in 61,500 hectare land in the district. In the rabi season, urad dal is grown in 1,500 hectares and green gram, lentils, horse gram is grown in 200 hectares each. During summer, Urad dal—1505 hectares, green gram — 900 hectares, sesame — 710 hectares, lentils — 700 hectares, sugarcane — 30 hectares. The total area under cultivation during summer is 6,345 hectares. Through drip irrigation, the area of cultivation can be extended during rabi and summer season.
For the drip and other irrigation facilities, the Centre will provide a subsidy of 40 per cent and State will provide 35 per cent subsidy.
During the selection of beneficiaries, 33 per cent will be reserved for women, 22 per cent for SC/STs, 10 to 15 per cent for minorities and 3 per cent for handicapped, informed the Joint Director.
