District Collector T. Vinay Krishna Reddy instructed officials on Tuesday to strictly ensure that farmers do not grow paddy in the oncoming Rabi season.
Instead, officials should educate farmers about alternate crops, such as the 11 crops suggested by the government, which besides having a market demand would also yield profits to farmers, he said.
Groundnut, green gram, chickpea, black gram, sesame, sunflower, safflower, castor, horse gram, cow peas and mustard is the suggestive list of alternate crops.
Addressing officials from agriculture and allied departments and seed dealers at the Collectorate on Tuesday, Mr. Reddy said that dealers must comply with the government’s instructions by immediately furnishing a latest stock position on the types of seeds available with them.
“Dealers or their sub-dealers who continue to sell paddy seed to farmers will face action. Their licences will be cancelled. Agriculture department officials should also go on regular field trips to monitor the situation in these four months,” he said.
Also, to curb transfer and distribution of paddy seed in the district, all check posts will be alerted for action.
The district administration has planned cluster-wise campaigns with farmers to ensure crop diversion. Starting Wednesday, awareness sessions will be held in 82 identified Rythu Vedikas in the district.