Agriculture department distributes paddy seeds at 50% subsidy to farmers

Panaji: In a bid to ensure smooth and hassle-free sowing of paddy crop during the upcoming Kharif season, the directorate of agriculture has distributed not only several tonnes of Jaya and Jyoti seeds, this season but also the Karjat variant of paddy, at 50% subsidy.
“We are all set for the monsoons. We have made arrangements of paddy seeds at different farmers’ societies and the zonal agricultural offices for the Kharif season. Though Jaya and Jyoti are preferred varieties in the state, we are also promoting Karjat,” said agriculture director, Nevil Alphonso.
In addition, the agriculture department is also giving jackfruit cultivation in the state a boost by selling seeds of various varieties of jackfruit among farmers.
“These are varieties from Kerala that will give an assured yield. The grafted varieties will start fruiting within three years of cultivation,” Alphonso said.
“When we recommend something for farmers, we also check the economic viability of the crop. We do not recommend crops that are not well-yielding to farmers,” he added.
Seeds of various vegetables that are able to withstand the rains, such as lady finger and cluster beans, are also available at 50% subsidy at the agriculture department’s outlets.
Planting materials such as coconut seedlings, mango grafts, chikoo, and lime saplings are also being sold at reasonable prices with the department. In addition to this, farmers can also apply for schemes for the cultivation of mango and coconut.
For land cultivation, tractors are being made available at subsidised rental rates of Rs 400 per hour. The agriculture department has a total of 40 tractors that are given to farmers on hire, besides which, the department has empanelled other farmers’ societies who have tractors to undertake other farmers’ work for which 50% subsidy will be reimbursed to the societies or individual farmers.