STATES
ASKED TO COMPENSATE KHARIF LOSS THROUGH RABI CROPS
Union Agriculture and Cooperation
Secretary, Shri J.N.L. Srivastva today urged the States to go
for extensive Rabi Crops in order to compensate the loss in Khraif
crop affected by the current drought conditions. Addressing the
National Conference on Agriculture for Rabi Campaign – 2002, Shri
Srivastava said that late rainfall in the month of August and
September would help the Rabi crop. He said that certified seeds
are available in plenty and so also fertilizer required for Rabi
crops. He hoped that the target of production of 220 million tonnes
of food grain fixed by the Plannning Commission for 2002-2003
might be achieved. Describing the current drought as widespread
and intense, Shri Srivastava said the drought has affected the
green belt of the country for the first time. The Secretary asked
the States to focus on the integrated watershed programme, especially
in view of the drought.
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
Research and Education, Dr. Punjab Singh said that the concept
should change from maximum production to optimum production and
asked the States to diversity to a mix of food, fuel and fodder
crop than only food grain production.
The two-day conference would arrive
at an estimate of Kharif food production and the final figures
of Rabi crop production by tomorrow.
