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Wheat area may jump

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Press Trust Of India Chandigarh
The Union Government's decision to hike the minimum support price of wheat to Rs 1,000 per quintal is likely to increase the actual area under the crop by one lakh hectare this rabi season.
 
The state government had set the target of bringing an area of 33.75 lakh hectares under wheat cultivation for the rabi season. "Since this target was fixed before the announcement of MSP, we feel that the actual area under wheat cultivation would extend to 34.80 lakh hectares," a senior official in the state agriculture department said here today. The increase in area under wheat cultivation would mean reduction in area under other crops like, pulses, sugarcane etc.
 
Despite the increase in area under wheat this year the government is expecting the output of the grain to be at 145 lakh tonnes, which was achieved last year. "It is becoming very difficult to forecast wheat output as sudden increase in temperature in January and February months may affect the output. So, we will again aim for 145 lakh tonnes this year," he said.
 
In an initiative to enhance the yield of wheat, the state government is emphasising on seed replacement programme. Under this programme, the state government has decided to rope in 1.30 lakh farmers, out of 10 lakh farming families in the state who produce about 7.5 lakh quintals of superior quality of seed for the wheat crop.
 
"We are releasing seed to small and marginal farmers free of cost for producing good seed under specified conditions," said an official.
 
The government has also decided to bring 593 villages under seed village scheme in which 60 landlords are involved from each village. They would be given 20 kg of seed on which fifty per cent subsidy would be given by the government for replacing old seeds, he added.

 
 

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First Published: Nov 18 2007 | 12:00 AM IST

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