The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar chaired the Meeting of State Agriculture & Horticulture Ministers on Managing Agriculture in the context of deficient rainfall, in New Delhi on August 21, 2009. The Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee ,The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri C.P. Joshi and the Minister of State of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Professor K.V. Thomas are also seen.
Shri Pawar asks states to focus on rabi to offset production loss in Kharif
STATE AGRICULTURE MINISTERS’ MEETING BEGINS
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Agriculture and Food Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar today asked the States to work for maximizing rabi production while taking all steps to protect the standing crops and plant alternate crops where sowing has not taken place in the current season.
Shri Pawar was addressing State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers who have assembled here at a meeting on ‘Managing Agriculture in the Context of Deficient Rainfall’.
Shri Pawar said that focusing on rabi would offset the production loss in the present Kharif season. He said: ‘I anticipate early and higher coverage of Rabi crops this year. This is a good opportunity to ensure that the wheat is sown in time particularly in Eastern UP, Bihar and West Bengal. There is a need to take up an intensive campaign in the Eastern Region for ensuring that the farmers are able to sow their wheat in time by 15th November. Timely sowing of wheat and support of the Government in arranging needed inputs like seeds, fertilizers, credit to the farmers would help increase the productivity of wheat crop. This would cover up the likely kharif production losses to some extent. Additional area could also come from Boro Rice in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Eastern UP and Orissa. There is good scope to take up more area under Gram, Pulses and Mustard in the rice fallow lands especially in the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand and Orissa.’
On protecting the standing crops, the Minister talked of the decisions taken recently by the Government including subsidy on diesel and making available additional power out of the central reserve.
Shri Pawar also informed the States about the support being given by the Centre towards promoting alternate crops in areas where no sowing could take place due to deficient rainfall. He said: ‘There is an urgent need to promote alternate crops like toria, pulses, sunflower, bajra, or fodder & vegetables. I am informed additional seeds needed to support the alternate crops are available in the country. I expect concerned State Agriculture Departments to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the seeds and other inputs reach the farmers immediately. We have already relaxed several criteria relating to age of the seed and also on the promotion of truthfully labelled seeds from public, private or university sources. I take this opportunity to urge the States to take up compensatory seed production programmes where required well in advance for the Rabi and summer seasons. The Government of India agencies – NSC, NAFED etc. have been directed to fully support the State governments in this regard.’
The other areas highlighted by the Agriculture Minister for States’ attention included making use of weather based advisories issued by ICAR, making provisions for fodder and taking care of animal health, and using NREGS funds for creation of water conservation structures.
The special meeting on agriculture was also addressed by Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee , Rural Development Minister Dr. C.P. Joshi and MOS, Agriculture Prof K V Thomas.
STATE AGRICULTURE MINISTERS’ MEETING BEGINS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture and Food Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar today asked the States to work for maximizing rabi production while taking all steps to protect the standing crops and plant alternate crops where sowing has not taken place in the current season.
Shri Pawar was addressing State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers who have assembled here at a meeting on ‘Managing Agriculture in the Context of Deficient Rainfall’.
Shri Pawar said that focusing on rabi would offset the production loss in the present Kharif season. He said: ‘I anticipate early and higher coverage of Rabi crops this year. This is a good opportunity to ensure that the wheat is sown in time particularly in Eastern UP, Bihar and West Bengal. There is a need to take up an intensive campaign in the Eastern Region for ensuring that the farmers are able to sow their wheat in time by 15th November. Timely sowing of wheat and support of the Government in arranging needed inputs like seeds, fertilizers, credit to the farmers would help increase the productivity of wheat crop. This would cover up the likely kharif production losses to some extent. Additional area could also come from Boro Rice in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Eastern UP and Orissa. There is good scope to take up more area under Gram, Pulses and Mustard in the rice fallow lands especially in the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand and Orissa.’
On protecting the standing crops, the Minister talked of the decisions taken recently by the Government including subsidy on diesel and making available additional power out of the central reserve.
Shri Pawar also informed the States about the support being given by the Centre towards promoting alternate crops in areas where no sowing could take place due to deficient rainfall. He said: ‘There is an urgent need to promote alternate crops like toria, pulses, sunflower, bajra, or fodder & vegetables. I am informed additional seeds needed to support the alternate crops are available in the country. I expect concerned State Agriculture Departments to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the seeds and other inputs reach the farmers immediately. We have already relaxed several criteria relating to age of the seed and also on the promotion of truthfully labelled seeds from public, private or university sources. I take this opportunity to urge the States to take up compensatory seed production programmes where required well in advance for the Rabi and summer seasons. The Government of India agencies – NSC, NAFED etc. have been directed to fully support the State governments in this regard.’
The other areas highlighted by the Agriculture Minister for States’ attention included making use of weather based advisories issued by ICAR, making provisions for fodder and taking care of animal health, and using NREGS funds for creation of water conservation structures.
The special meeting on agriculture was also addressed by Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee , Rural Development Minister Dr. C.P. Joshi and MOS, Agriculture Prof K V Thomas.
