Haryana targets 117.90 lakh tonnes of foodgrain in 2011

Chandigarh, Jan 13 (PTI) Haryana Government has fixed atarget of producing 117.90 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrainsduring Rabi 2011 which is about 10 lakh tonnes more than thetarget fixed in last Rabi season.

The decision to this effect was taken in the meeting ofHaryana State Level Coordination Committee on AgricultureProduction for Rabi 2010-11 here today, a release said.

It was informed in the meeting that despite the naturalcalamity of floods being faced by the state in the last Kharifseason, the state was able to achieve the target fixed for thecrops. The districts of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal,Sirsa and Fatehabad were mainly affected by floods.

The State was not only able to achieve the target of49.63 lakh tonnes, but also registered increase as compared toproduction of 2009.

The farmers were provided free mini kits of Bajra, Jowarand Toria seeds and subsidy of 90 per cent on Basmati, Makka,Udad and Moong seeds.

The Haryana Seeds Development Corporation provided5,745.86 quintal seeds of various variety on a subsidy of Rs344.94 lakh to the farmers under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojnawhereas the subsidy amount for horticultural crops was Rs 1.93lakh.

It was informed that all arrangements had been made forthe ensuing rabi season. As against the requirement of 9.48lakh quintal seeds, 11.92 lakh quintal certified seeds hadbeen arranged. Subsidy of Rs 500 per quintal would beprovided on wheat and jow certified seeds and Rs 1,200 perquintal on oil and pulses certified seeds.

It was informed that in view of the rising prices ofwheat seeds, Haryana Seeds Development Corporation had beendirected to procure 1 lakh quintal certified seeds of newvariety of wheat on the direction of Chief Minister so thatthe farmers could be provided seeds below the marketprice.

The Agriculture Minister said that Haryana farmers weregetting high sugarcane prices as compared to the farmers ofUttar Pradesh and Punjab which had inspired the farmers toadopt the cultivation of this crop as a result, the area undersugarcane crop had increased.