Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam on Saturday announced that the State government will implement a special scheme to increase the area of maize cultivation in 18 districts at a cost of INR 30 crore.
Mr. Panneerselvam said a kit with high-quality maize seeds, natural and liquid fertilisers, and urea would be distributed to 50,000 farmers to increase the area under maize cultivation by 50,000 hectares.
According to the action plan of the Agriculture Department for 2024-25, the State government has set a target to increase the area under millets cultivation to 9.95 lakh hectares with a production of 39.09 lakh metric tonnes, against 31.31 lakh metric tonnes two years ago.
The total food grain production target was 129.63 lakh metric tonnes for 2024-25. The food grain production was 118.02 lakh metric tonnes last year. The Minister said the State government has provided 23.80 lakh free electricity connections, so far, to farmers.
Among other announcements made by the Minister are the construction of grains storage sheds at a cost of INR 10 crore in Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, and Villupuram districts; the establishment of greenhouses and shade nets for the cultivation of vegetables using advanced techniques at INR 10.19 crore; improving the infrastructure of 20 best-performing farmers’ markets (Uzhavar Sandhai) at INR 3crore; and training farmers in food processing and value addition techniques.
He also said the Department would focus on expanding coconut cultivation; intercropping of cocoa in coconut plantations; expansion of area under cashew cultivation; and rejuvenation of the old cashew plantations to enhance productivity.
Source: Hindu
