With the monsoon rains in the catchment areas filling up the Kabini reservoir and Krishnarajasagar crossing the 100 feet mark, paddy cultivation will intensify in Mysore district.
The overall food production target for the district has been set at 925,000 tonnes. Rainfall has crossed the average of 287 mm and reached 353.2 mm till June 27.
While the district’s annual average rainfall stood at 766.7 mm, rainfall so far has touched nearly half of that, at 353.2 mm, brightening hopes of a good monsoon crop. Last year too, the district had recorded good rains. Till May-end, 285 mm rain had occurred against the average of 220.4 mm.
However, this June, the district has recorded mar-ginally lesser rain. It was 59.6 mm against the ave-rage of 66.6 mm. With sow-ing gathering momentum after the commencement of monsoon rains, around 50 per cent of the targe-ted area of cultivation for 2011-12 monsoon season is already covered. Against the target of 441,050 hectares, sowing has taken place in 220,303 hectares, mostly in the rainfed areas. Rains have benefitted the sown area brightening a good monsoon crop season.
The target set for the irrigated area is 121,775 hecta-res and so far around eight per cent area is sown, 9,428 hectares. Cultivation in irrigated area will pick up during the next few weeks once water is released through the channels.
According to a report of the Agriculture Department here, the seed position is at a comfort level with 53,435 quintals seeds stocked for distribution against the targeted distribution of 30,891 quintals during the current monsoon crop season. Against this target, 2,010 quintal seeds have been distributed in the district so far.
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The fertiliser requirement for the district is 96,300 tonnes. While 40,226 million tonnes have been distributed so far, 22,652 tonnes have been stocked.
Steps have been suggested to improve oil seed production, which has seen a decline in the district. Farmers have been suggested to buy farm implements directly from the approved agencies instead of paying higher rates. They have been also advised to buy fertiliser from their taluk marketing centres alone and report to the agricultural authorities if higher rates are demanded.