Kerala govt announces royalty for paddy fields

Close on the heels of announcing a minimum support price for 16 vegetables, the left-front government in Kerala has launched royalty for paddy fields in order to promote paddy cultivation.

Paddy field owners will get a royalty of Rs. 2,000 per hectare for paddy fields that are being cultivated.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the scheme on Thursday, which is the first of its kind in the country, said state agriculture department officials.

Apart from paddy fields that are now under paddy cultivation, paddy fields in which other short term cultivations were being carried out without altering the paddy field's structure can also avail the scheme.

Owners of paddy fields that are now remaining uncultivated will be also eligible for the royalty if they initiate cultivation by themselves or lease it out for cultivation. Owners will not get the royalty if the cultivation was not carried out for three years in a row.

The government launched the scheme with the objectives of protecting nature and ensuring food security. Over the last few years, there has been an increase of over 20,000 hectares of paddy cultivation in Kerala.

Kerala government's recent decision to implement a minimum support price for 16 vegetables and fruits had received much attention. But many farmers feel that delays in getting payments from government agencies may play the spoilsport.