Jeypore: With monsoon rains lashing the district, both local farmers and Koraput district administration are enthusiastic to enhance the Kharif crop production this year.
The district agriculture department has targeted cultivation of different crops on 2,96,000 hectare of farmlands here, including paddy, pulses, cereals and oilseeds, the department official sources informed.
Paddy will be cultivated on 99,000 hectare of farmlands; Maize on 21,100 hectares; Jawar on 490 hectares; Bajra on 111 hectares; Ragi on 58,350 hectares; cereals on 83,171 hectares; pulses on 21,590 hectares; oilseeds on 19,440 hectares; Jute on 1,422 hectares; vegetables on 46,424 hectares; spices on 8,800 hectares; Sugarcane on 7,295 hectares; Chilly, Haldi and Ginger on 9,030 hectares; Lemon Grass on 9 hectares this Kharif season, the sources expressed.
During the Kharif season, Koraput agriculture department has plans to provide 16,670 quintals of paddy seeds to local farmers through 208 dealers and 20 large area multi-purpose cooperative societies (LAMPS) in the district. Similarly, 30,200 metric tonnes of nitrogen, phosphorous and potash will be provided for application on crops.
Around 94,153 hectare of farmlands in Koraput district have ample irrigation facilities for the Kharif season’s crop needs. Other farmlands in the district are by and large dependent upon rain water, streams and deep wells as well as lift irrigation points, they added.
Moreover, as 42,456 hectare of farmlands here are being irrigated through major irrigation facilities, 5,500 hectares through minor irrigation facilities and 20,000 hectares through lift irrigation facilities.
As the meteorological department has forecasted good amount rainfall in the district this year, farming activities have already been propelled in 2028 villages of 226 panchayats under 14 blocks in Koraput.
Out of the total farmlands in the district identified for Kharif farming, 1,83,990 hectares are high lands, 78,530 hectares are plains and 33,480 hectares are low lands. However, the district has 1,366 lift irrigation points, of which 217 points have become defunct now.
It is known that, this could impact over 4,340 hectare of farmlands in the district. Reacting to this, Deputy Director of Agriculture Pradeep Kumar Mohanty said, “We have chalked out plans for farming at least thirty Kharif crops in Koraput district. All necessary arrangements have been made accordingly to reach the crop production target.”
PNN