The Agriculture Department has taken up an experiment
for introducing “ragi” (finger millet) as a viable and assured
alternative to paddy farmers, particularly “kuruvai” cultivators, so
that they can switch over to a more profitable crop with assured return.
The
department has raised Co 15 variety on the State Seed Farm in
Tirukadaiyur as the crop can be raised with limited irrigation facility
in two spells (pattam) either between June and July or between October
and November.
The duration of the crop is 125 days
and it can be raised as a rain-fed crop. This is the first time that the
Agriculture Department has raised the crop at its Government Seed Farm
at Tirukadaiyur, said S. Palanisamy, District Collector.
Minimum practice
Addressing the media after visiting the farm on Tuesday, he said the crop needed minimum cultivation practice.
Even summer showers would be quite sufficient for cultivation.
Based on its success at the Seed Farm, the department would recommend it to the farmers from the next season.
The
experiment, he said, had twin advantages. It aimed at implementing the
State government's programme to popularise minor millets among farmers.
J. Sekar, Joint Director of Agriculture, said the yield was expected to be around 3.4 tonnes per hectare.
There
have been complaints from farmers in rain-fed areas or the tail-end
belts of the Cauvery that they do not have adequate water for raising
‘kuruvai’ and hence the department evolved this strategy for their
rescue, he added.
Farmers would be trained on raising
the crop with adequate spacing and the type of fertilisers to be
utilised during the cultivation period.
Source : The Hindhu
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