Imphal, Jun 13 (FN Representative) Minister of Agriculture Oinam Lukhoi Singh on Sunday said that in view of the hardship being faced by the farmers in the state due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government of Manipur has decided to distribute Paddy seeds free of cost instead of selling at a 50 per cent subsidised rate. Lukhoi distributed Free Certified High Yielding Variety (HYV) paddy through the concerned District Agriculture Officers here on Sunday at the Agriculture Godown, Lamphelpat under the programme “Enhancement of Rice Production in the state”.
He also stated that the programme for free distribution of Certified HYV paddy seeds was mainly focused on reaching the target group in the interest and welfare of the farmers in the state. He informed that farmers can procure free Certified HVY paddy seeds through the concerned DAOs and he expressed hope that the farmers will be able to increase production. He further mentioned that the deficit in food grains especially rice in the state is huge and has been increasing over the years with the increase in population. The Government of Manipur constituted a Sub Committee for the enhancement of rice production in the state on September 7, 2020.
After several rounds of discussion, the said Sub-Committee recommended ten approaches and strategies to increase rice production in the state he said. The committee recommended Increasing Seed Replacement Rate, Enhancing Varietal Replacement Rate; Increasing Cropping Intensity through Assured Irrigation; Expansion of Effective Irrigation facilities; Adoption of more Intensive Cultivation Practices (SRI/ICM/ Line Planting etc; Maintaining Soil Health and providing judicious Soil Nutrients; Revisiting the Extension Mechanism; Facilitation of Credit, Finance, Crop Insurance; marketing & creation of rural storage infrastructure and farm mechanisation. Lukhoi also interacted with the concerned DAOs to take stock of the prevailing ground situation of the department in all the districts and also encouraged them to work in the interest and welfare of the farmers in the state. The minister also inspected the various fertilisers godowns along with officials.