1,500 hectares of barren land to be made arable in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: As much as 1,500 hectares of land in the district will be made cultivable in the 2022-23 financial year.
The target was set under the national agricultural development programme to turn barren lands into cultivable lands through incentivization, said joint director of agriculture R Chithra Devi. "Out of the 1,500 hectares, 500 acres have been set for grains cultivation, 700 hectares for pulses and 150 acres each for groundnut and sesame."
Of the 1.6 lakh hectares of cultivated land in the district, half is under coconut cultivation.
Selection of beneficiaries under the national agricultural development programme is under way, Chithra said. “Interested farmers can obtain certificates to show that their land is barren and give to assistant directors of the agriculture department along with chitta and adangal documents.”
The scheme will be implemented in the villages chosen under the Kalaignar All Villages Integrated Agricultural Development Programme (Kaviadp). As many as 57 villages were chosen under the scheme in 2022-23, taking the total number of villages to 93 in the district.
Those who register on Uzhavan App will be given preference, Chithra said.
“Farmers will get support from the agricultural engineering department for renting machinery required to clear the land. Seeds, manure and pesticides will be provided at subsidized prices. The subsidy will be credited in their bank accounts,” she added.