Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 29 2010:
In addition to chemical fertilizers which have been widely used in the State, the Agriculture Department has taken up necessary measures to introduce bio-ferltizers on a larger scale from this season.
This was stated by Agriculture Director L Palendro on the occasion of handing over paddy seeds for this Kharif season to district level officers at the department's godown at Mantripukhri today.
Bio-fertilizers would be introduced in 10,000 hectares of paddy fields under the Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana at the rate of four Kgs per hectare.
This would go a long way in reducing soil acidity, said Palendro.
For this, farmers and district level officers would be given due training besides providing the bio-fertilizers to farmers free of cost.
Earlier on June 26, a team of agriculture officials led by Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip and Director L Palendro made spot assessment of the paddy fields in Imphal East and Imphal West where paddy cultivated under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method are ready for harvest.
The officials first visited Koirou paddy fields in Thongju.
Letkhogin Haokip said that PAC 807 variety of paddy was cultivated under SRI method in around 10,000 hectares of the State as first cropping this year.
In the coming Kharif season, PAC 801 and IR 64 arieties of paddy would be introduced.
The Agriculture partment has already started providing seeds of these paddy varieties to farmers.
Claiming that SRI method can yield at least 30 bags of rice per sangam, the Commissioner stated that rice shortage in Manipur can be made up to a substantial level if SRI method is adopted far and wide.
The department is targeting to introduce SRI method in 30 to 40 hectares during this Kharif season, Letkhogin said.
At present, Manipur is ranked 8th in terms of rice production among the Indian States.
This can be improved to 4th or 5th position, he exuded.
The official team also visited paddy fields of Laiphrakpham, Iram Siphai and Yumnam Huidrom in Imphal West district.