Increasing farm productivity, automation only option seen

Mangalore Today News Network

July 11, 2016: Speaking after inaugurating a campaign of mechanised farming here at Agrahara Udupi district  organised by the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, in association with the Agriculture Department, Minister for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda said extensive introduction of mechanisation in farming is the only way out to scale up agricultural production, especially paddy in the country.

He said economic viability is must for sustenance of agriculture, which is not only an occupation, but also a culture in many parts of the country.  He said the coastal and Malnad region of the state are moving away from agriculture and the situation calls for the urgent measures for restructuring of paddy cultivation in the region.

Gowda said the state government is into serious deliberations to revive the vanishing farm culture. The university has been directed to come out with innovative discoveries to augment profit in farming. Harvest should be more with less investment, the minister maintained.

He said around 1.30 lakh acres of agricultural land is cultivated in the district. The expense incurred per acre of farming is around Rs 24,000, including the cost of transplantation. The expenditure, especially in Malnad and coastal region, is more as heavy rain washes away all the fertility of the soil.The non-availability of labourers and high labour cost has also affected farming, he observed.

Emphasising on the profitable agricultural procedure, he said changes needs to be incorporated in farming.  Complete mechanisation and replacing the traditional farming pattern are the hope for better yield with minimal expenditure. The innovative method implemented by the university and tray nursery seedling machine will enhance the quality and yield with just Rs 7,000-8,000 investment per acre. The nursery should be raised with perfection, he added.

He directed the university authorities to train people for adapting the new technique, which expects just Rs 4,000 expenditure at the stage of nursery making and transplantation. The universities should tie up with the Agriculture Department to come out with the package ensuring all mechanised facilities. The transplantation will be uniform to help for the removal of weeds in a disciplined manner. The weeds in one acre of farm land can be removed within one hour.

He said the youth  and the self-help groups can be utilised to make network work modes and to be practicable, he added.   The minister said in order to give impetus for the mechanised farming, the government has come up with ’Krishi Yantradhare,’ wherein the farm machines like, transplanter, harvester, reaper, combined harvester are available for rent at 30% less when compared to the private set-up. There are seven centres in the district.

Each centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 75 lakh with PPT model with government spending two third of the cost. This year, another 325 centres will be set up, he explained.

The minister said farm tools are offered at 50% subsidies. Besides, the government is also offering Rs 100 extra support price to the paddy apart from the Union government’s incentives. Online marketing for the agriculture produce marketing has yielded better results. A single window online marketing introduced in the state is now being adopted by the Union government to promote better.