Imphal, November 12 2009: There has been assessment report of yielding 35 to 40 phoubot of rice in one Sangam on an average under the SRI method of cultivation that has been adopted under the ICDPRice of the Agriculture Department from different parts of the State, Additional Director of the Department L Palendro Singh has stated.

Paying a field visit to personally inspect cultivation of Leima Phou for the first time under SRI method by a farmer in Kakching Kherjit Lourel Loukon, the Additional Director encouraged the farmers switch on to this new method of cultivation that would guarantee more yield.

According to Mayanglambam Shyamchandra, who is the owner of the paddy field, he had been cultivating Thoibi Phou and receiving a yield of about 26 to 26 Phoubot per Sangam.

But this time, he adopted SRI method and cultivated Leima Phou .

It is expected the yield this time would be around 40 Phoubot.

Shyamchandra further informed that he have used around 700 kgs of cowdungs in his field apart from 5 kgs of Potash, five kg of Super and 26 kgs of urea this time unlike in previous years where there was the need for using more fertiliser.

Presence of pests have also been reduced considerably so much so that around 12 to 13 farmer colleagues have also decided to adopt SRI method in their field from the next cultivation season.

Stressing on the need for more awareness programme on SRI method of cultivation for the benefit of the farmers, he also appealed to the Agriculture Department for extending every possible assistance with regard to adoption of this new method of cultivation.

Programme in-charge of ICDP-Rice L Ibomcha Singh explained that SRI method is applied to hybrid rice.

But the success of cultivating Leima Phou in Kakching has shown that this new method of cultivation can also be applicable to the local breed.

Stating that adoption of SRI method of cultivation by more and more farmers in the State would lead to increase in food crop production and would ultimate free from dependence on others for food grain, Ibomcha noted that around 2.5 metric tonne of rice that Manipur requires every year would be able to meet depending on the hard work of the farmers.

The Agriculture Department is prepared all the time to help the farmers in this regard, he assured.

Comment